EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

 

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE.

"Emotional intelligence is the ability to observe one's own and other people's emotions, distinguish between different emotions and label them appropriately, and use emotional information to guide thinking and behavior."   

                                                                       - Peter Salovey and John Mayer –

Accordingly, emotional intelligence is the ability to perceive, use, understand, manage, and manipulate emotions. People with high emotional intelligence can recognize their own emotions and the emotions of others. The term emotional intelligence was created by two researchers, Peter Salovey and John Mayer in their article “Emotional Intelligence” in the journal Imagination, Cognition, and Personality in 1990. It was later popularized by Dan Goleman in his 1995 book Emotional Intelligence.

When emotions run high, they change the way our brains work, diminishing our cognitive abilities, decision-making power, and even interpersonal skills. Understanding and managing our emotions and the emotions of others helps us be more successful in both our personal and professional lives. There, the concept of emotional intelligence is very important.

At a personal level, emotional intelligence helps us:

·       Have uncomfortable conversations without hurting feelings.

·       Manage our emotions when stressed or feeling overwhelmed.

·       Improve relationships with the people we care about

At work, emotional intelligence can help us:

·       Resolve conflicts.

·       Coach and motivate others.

·       Create a culture of collaboration.

·       Build psychological safety within teams.