One area I really focus on with leaders is Emotional Intelligence (EQ). The first question I am often asked is how does this differ to Intelligence Quotient or IQ. In summary IQ measures a person’s reasoning ability while EQ measures how one manages their emotions. Have you ever met someone who’s intellect is massive but they lacked ability to relate to people? Below are 7 areas that form part of the measurement of EQ based on research by EQ experts, Daniel Goleman and Travis Bradberry.
- You Are Self-Aware
According to Bradberry, being self-aware is your “ability to accurately perceive your emotions and stay aware of them as they happen.” This self-awareness is important for you to be able to quickly react and adjust in a given situation.
- You don’t focus on the past
If you are stretching yourself reaching for success, you will have some failures. That is part of the price for success. Your emotional intelligence and future success will be measured by how you react to that failure. Do you stay stuck in the label of being a failure or do you rise from the ashes of that failure; a smarter and more confident individual?
- You have self-control
Controlling your emotions is key in emotional intelligence. You need to be able to act to act and react based on the situation and not on how you are feeling in that moment. Reacting based on how you feel can come with some not so appealing consequences.
- You are empathetic
We previously talked about being self-aware. Well, being empathetic takes awareness one step further. Being empathetic is being aware of the emotions of others. You do this by listening carefully and tuning into the non-verbal clues those around you are giving. This gives you the opportunity to build a closer relationship and allows them to related better to you.
- You effectively manage change
Change is a simple fact of life. How you react to the change is a measure of your EQ and can set you apart from your peers. The one that is able to see the change, adjust to it, help others adjust, and create a positive outcome, will be the one others will look to when future changes occur. If you are a leader or looking to be one, this skill is critical.
- You control your thoughts
Much research has been done to show that we do indeed talk to ourselves. How we talk to ourselves is a measure of our emotional intelligence. How is your self-talk? Do you beat yourself up or put yourself down or do you keep a positive attitude and say the words that will keep you moving forward in a positive direction? Part of your success will come down to the things you say to yourself each day. Take the time to control how you think, and since you will being talking to yourself anyway, why not make the words you speak be inspiring.
- You pay attention
In 1997, the phrase Weapons of Mass Distraction was coined by the movie comedy with the same name. Today, the weapons of mass distraction come in many forms including texts, emails, and social media. How are you managing these distractions? Are you able to focus for an extended period of time without being tempted to look at your phone or emails? How effective you are at paying attention is a factor that goes into determining your emotional intelligence and the amount you can accomplish throughout each day.
