Emotional Intelligence - EQ/EI
Emotional Intelligence – EQ/EI
Emotional Intelligence (EI), also referred to as Emotional Quotient (EQ), is a concept that describes a person’s ability to recognize, understand, manage, and effectively use their own emotions, as well as the emotions of others.
It involves perceiving and comprehending emotions in oneself and in others, and then using this awareness to navigate social interactions, make informed decisions, and manage personal and interpersonal situations.
Emotional Intelligence encompasses several key components:
Self-awareness
The ability to recognize and understand one's own emotion, as well as their impact on thoughts and behaviors. This involves being in tune with one’s feelings and being able to accurately identify and label them.
Self-regulation
The capacity to manage and control one’s own emotions, impulses, and reactions. This includes handling stress, maintaining composure, and adapting to changing circumstances in a balanced manner.
Motivation
The drive to set and achieve goals, often involving the ability to harness emotions in a positive way to fuel determination, perseverance, and ambition.
Social skills
Proficiency in building and maintaining healthy relationships, effective communication, conflict resolution, and collaboration. People with high EI can navigate social situations with finesse and connect with others in meaningful ways.
Emotional Intelligence is not fixed; it can be developed and improved over time with self-awareness, practice, and learning. High EI is often associated with enhanced personal and professional success, as it contributes to effective leadership, strong teamwork, better communication, and the ability to manage conflicts constructively.
The concept of Emotional Intelligence was popularized by psychologists Peter Salovey and John Mayer in the
1990s and later by author and psychologist Daniel Goleman in his influential book “Emotional Intelligence” which helped bring the concept into mainstream awareness.
