Here are some practical tips that you can immediately use to help you develop and enhance your level of emotional intelligence.
What is emotional intelligence?
According to Genos International, emotional intelligence (EI) is a set of skills that help us better perceive, understand and manage emotions in ourselves and in others. Collectively they help us make intelligent responses to, and use of, emotions. These skills are as important as your intellect (IQ) in determining success in work and in life.
EI is considered by many as a key skill for people (yes, that’s everyone and not just executives, leaders and managers) to be successful in the current day and age, and also in the future.
Some people consider EI as a soft skill but personally, I consider EI as a key human skill. All the EI competencies and traits are important to us not just in professional settings but also in our everyday life as human beings. So it’s all about being human when we are emotionally intelligent!
Some people even consider EI as more important than IQ. I agree. Using your IQ is one-dimensional as it’s based on available facts and figures. Everything seems to be logical and objective, but is that really the case? For me, EI is multi-dimensional as it incorporates emotions (self and others) and other subjective elements with facts and figures to be more holistic and rounded in our response. And this is exactly why EI is paramount when it comes to leading ourselves and others!
When you get good at being aware of your own emotions and the emotions of others, you can connect on a human level with others much more cohesively. A person's IQ needs to partner with the person’s EI to be a great person, more so to be a great leader.
Need evidence?
Below are some figures in respect of EI to help put things in perspective (and convince us of its importance!).
CareerBuilder
59% of employers refuse to hire a candidate with a high IQ but low EI.
High EI employees are favoured over high IQ employees for a promotion 75% of the time.
43 Fortune 500 companies found salespersons with high EI had 2x the amount of sales compared to those with low to average scores.
CIPHR
71% of hiring managers value EI over IQ when looking for employees.
Harvard Business School
Leaders with empathy perform over 40% higher in employee engagement, decision-making, and coaching.
Workers who have managers with high EI scores are 4x less likely to quit than those with managers who have low EI.
International Risk Management Institute
A large hospital decreased its nursing turnover by 50% within 18 months of imposing an EI screening assessment.
A Fortune 500 company based in Texas that switched to an EI-based assessment increased its employee retention by 67% in the first year.
A Dallas corporation found that its employees with high EI scores were 20x more productive than those with low EI.
EI is 4x more effective than IQ in determining who will be successful in their field.
90% of top-performing employees have high EI.
Workforce.com
Employees with high EI scores earn an additional $29,000 on average per year than those with lower EI.
From the above figures, it is clear that EI gives us a competitive edge- better performance, higher productivity, access to more opportunities and generally happier and more successful. EI makes us better human beings, which is extremely important considering that people leave managers and leaders, not companies. Read more here- https://www.kaceconsultants.com/post/people-leave-managers-or-leaders-not-companies
So, what are some of the things you can start doing to help develop and enhance your level of EI?
Tip #1 - Acknowledge your emotions
Self-awareness is at the very core of EI so it’s important for us to acknowledge our emotions.
We experience many emotions throughout the day, both pleasant and unpleasant, and the more we’re able to acknowledge the emotions when they occur, the better we’re able to respond to the situations we face. It helps to jot down your emotions as you experience them. You may also consider journaling before you retire for the day.
Tip #2 - Be curious like a cat
We know that curiosity helps us in acquiring knowledge. Not only is curiosity key to the learning process, it's also great for overall life satisfaction.
Based on several studies, curious people have better relationships, connect better, and enjoy socialising more. In fact, other people are more easily attracted and feel socially closer to individuals who display curiosity.
Tip #3 - Welcome mistakes as learning opportunities
Get into the habit of trying new things and experimenting. If you make mistakes and end up failing, learn from those mistakes and try again. Accept that it's all part of the process to grow and there’s no shame in it.
A mindset shift is necessary so that we redefine making mistakes and failing, and appreciate it’s critical role of learning something new.
Tip #4 - Check for blind spots with others
We may not likely be aware of our blind spots as such we need to check with others (especially those who we trust and can be honest with us) and seek their insights on our blind spots. It takes guts for us to consider these insights.
As uncomfortable as it may be, these insights are good development opportunities for us. Take heart in knowing that this is for our own greater good.
Tip #5 - Take a pause when you’re emotionally hijacked
When our amygdala is triggered causing us to react (fight, flight or freeze), it is always good to take a pause or a timeout. Be aware of your emotions, process them and then respond (not react) accordingly to the situation. Count backwards from 10 to 1 or take 5 deep breaths or walk away to wash your hands or do whatever you’re comfortable doing for the much needed pause. You'll thank yourself later for not immediately reacting when your amygdala is triggered (or hijacked).
Taking this approach doesn't mean you suppress your emotions. You’re actually helping yourself process your emotions in any given situation and using information derived from your emotions to appropriately respond to the situation. This means you’re in full control of yourself and the situation you’re facing, and not trigger happy with your reactions.
While the above are some of the things you can start doing to help develop and enhance your level of EI, in order for any behaviour to become a habit, you’ll need to undergo a personalised programme over a period of time to ensure sustainability.
I am here to support you!
Given the relevance and benefits of EI, it's opportune to develop and enhance your level of EI! Can you imagine how and what you'll be like when you're more emotionally intelligent?
As a Genos certified EI practitioner, I can help support development and enhancement of your level of EI. You’ll be introduced to the Genos EI core competencies and assessed using suitable Genos EI assessments before being coached by yours truly in your key focus areas.
Find out more about Genos EI by visiting their website https://www.genosinternational.com/ I am passionate about coaching and facilitating executive, leadership and personal development and transformation so that people become better versions of themselves at their workplaces and in their personal lives. I am not only passionate about helping people, I believe it is my privilege to use my background, credentials, experience and knowledge to help others succeed in their professional and personal lives.
Find out more about professional coaching here- https://www.kaceconsultants.com/post/i-am-an-executive-and-leadership-coach
Connect and get in touch!
Do get in touch if and when you’re interested to develop and enhance your level of EI, and be coached by yours truly. I look forward to being your coach!
You may email me at kenneth@kaceconsultants.com to arrange a 30-min strategy session. You'll also receive a FREE behavioural check using a powerful model to find out more about yourself.
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