Sprint 3 - Cultural

What is Emotional Intelligence?

Emotional intelligence is being aware of your actions and feelings, as well as how they affect those around you, and the ability to manage your own emotions. It also involves being aware of how others are feeling and responding.
Here are a few examples of signs that emotionally intelligent people show:

• understand their actions and behaviours
• great listeners
• excellent problem solver
• can get along with people in different situations
• able to shake off a bad moment and move on
• accept contstructive criticism
• not afraid of being vulnerable
• not afraid to admit mistakes and apologise

For some people emotional intelligence comes just naturally, others need to learn it.

The American psychologist Daniel Goleman has worked out five key elements that are critical to emotional intelligence:

1. Self-Awareness: Being fully aware of how you feel and understanding the effect your feelings and your actions can have on people around you.
2. Self-Regulation: Controling, regulating and expressing your emotions appropriately.
3. Social Skills: Interacting and communicationg well with others.
4. Empathy: Being able to understand how others are feeling.
5. Motivation: Being action-oriented and working towards your own goals as well as motivating others.

How is Emotional Intelligence different to IQ?

First of all it is different by how it is measured. The intelligence quotient is a score derived from standardized tests designed to measure intelligence.

An IQ relates directly to a persons intellectual and cognitive abilities and measures how well someone can use information and logic to answer questions or make predictions. The results are then compared to average scores of people in the same age group.

People with higher IQs can think more abstractly. In the workplace, people with high IQ are more successful with challenging tasks and the ability to analyze.

Emotional Intelligence is very different. Those with high emotional intelligence are able to manage their emotions and use their emotions to facilitate their thinking and to understand the emotions of others.

When it comes to the workplace, emotional intelligence seems to be more beneficial for one's career. Emotional intelligent people are usually better team players and leaders, are service oriented and show initiative.

Why is Emotional Intelligence so important?

The world is constantly changing. It is a complex and uncertain place. Emotional intelligence can help us in our personal and in our work lives.

Personal life:

It can assist us to look after our mental and physical health and well-being, to manage relationships effectively and to solve conflicts.

If we can't manage our emotions, we will most likely not be able to manage stress either. This can ultimately lead to physical health problems like high blood pressure, suppressed immune system, risk of heart attacks, etc. It can also have an impact on our mental health, leading to anxiety and depression, or being unable to form strong relationships and feeling lonely and isolated. If we learn to understand and control our emotions, we are better to express our feelings and have empathy with others which leads to more effective communication and forms stronger relationships.

Workplace:

Today's workplaces are a melting pot of different personalities, skills, strengths and emotions. Employers want to make sure they choose candidates who will mesh well with their existing team and navigate the workplace effectively.

EQ is particularly important in leadership roles and vital for success. If leaders lack emotional intelligence, it could result in lower employee engagement and higher turnover rate as a consequence.

Even the smartest person needs good people skills to succeed these days. High intelligence is no longer guarantee for success in life.