We’ve been talking about Emotional Intelligence all week … -What it is … -How it affects everything we think … -How it impacts reasoning, the ability to love with your whole heart, and how to navigate sticky situations. It’s emotional intelligence that gives us the ability to read others as well as ourselves. It helps us identify emotions and understand them. And yet, most of us overestimate ourselves and our understanding of emotional intelligence. Dr. Marc Brackett of the Yale Center of Emotional Intelligence says, “Maybe we all need to take a breath and invest a little more time schooling ourselves on emotional intelligence.” This is important because studies show that emotional intelligence on the job is a better indicator of career success than an impressive resume or high IQ. Sara Canaday, an author and speaker, says, “We may hire for technical talents, but we are often fired because we lack emotional intelligence.” Some people believe that emotional intelligence is being nice or just some sweet soft skill that creates a more smiley version of yourself. Not true! With higher emotional intelligence, you are a better collaborator, influencer, and communicator. You manage yourself better, your job better, and your relationships better. So what does emotional intelligence on the job look like? 1. Self-motivation. It’s not the title or the money, it’s doing a good job, figuring it out, and getting it done. 2. Self-awareness. Self-awareness means not just being oriented toward yourself, but being aware of how your actions affect others. Feedback is accepted – good and bad – and emotionally intelligent individuals learn from their mistakes. 3. Being positive! This makes us flexible, open-minded, and not easily offended. Being positive also means we’re more creative, more curious, are open to more possibilities, and are problem solvers! 4. Empathy. This emotionally intelligent gal is respected at work because she respects others. She strives to understand, goes to bat for her colleagues, and is a valued team member. 5. She rolls with it. Things change – especially in the workplace. Emotionally intelligent people can handle the change without the griping or running away. The bottom line is emotional intelligence is the ability to turn intention into action, even if you’re not in a “real job!” Emotional intelligence helps women SUCCEED – at everything! And be so much happier doing it! |
