How to Improve your Emotional Intelligence
In an advancing technology and networks era, leaders are looking for ‘emotional intelligence’. Emotional Intelligence can be defined as range of competencies that encompasses our ability to understand and manage our own and others’ feelings, then use this skills to build positive and productive connections. Emotional intelligence becomes important since people are socializing with each other in doing daily activities, therefore if you’re unable to work with your own and other’s emotions, it becomes quiet difficult to get things done effectively and sustainably. Generally, working with emotional intelligence approach may mean involving other skills like conflict resolution and building rapport, as well as the ability to regulate your own emotions. In order to learn building emotional intelligence, you have to be mindful on what is on your mindset. Therefore, here is some tips and tricks to improve your emotional intelligence :
- Identify Your Feelings – Understanding your own emotions is the first step in developing emotional intelligence. You can start digging deep by asking yourself what you’re actually feeling. Through this mindfulness practice, it will help you to control unpleasant emotions and channel positive ones.
- Acknowledge and Accept Your Emotions – Denying your emotions is not a necessary part of developing emotional intelligence skill. A crucial part of developing empathy is through learning to validate your own emotions because it will help you to do the same for others.
- Withhold Judgement & Becoming A Good Listener – Being attuned to your own feelings makes you more aware of other people’s emotions, which enhances your capacity for healthy relationships. You’re able to understand others’ concerns by deep listening that involves acknowledging the other person’s opinion and seeking to understand it, rather than just respond with your own.
As it was said, ‘practice makes perfect’, therefore ensure yourself that you set a proper goal or milestone to track your own progress. Try to get out of your comfort zone by purposely put yourself in situations where emotional intelligence is required and engage in meaningful dialogue with the people in your life. By improving your emotional intelligence through awareness and responsive practices, you will receive much more benefits in your personal and professional relationships.
Resources :
Robbins, Tony. How To Improve Emotional Intelligence. https://www.tonyrobbins.com/personal-growth/how-to-improve-emotional-intelligence/
York, Joanna. (2022). Why leaders are looking for ’emotional intelligence’. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20221005-eq-why-leaders-are-looking-for-emotional-intelligence
