What is Emotional Intelligence & How Can You Improve Yours?

Being a great co-worker or leader often focuses on your technical skills and knowledge. However, there’s more to being part of or leading a team than hard skills. Emotional intelligence (also known as emotional quotient or EQ) is just as important. 

Sharpening this skill will help you manage your own emotions and be mindful of other people’s. This will enable you to develop strategies and tactics that create a harmonious work environment and a happy workforce. 

While being emotionally intelligent can benefit everybody in an organization, leaders need to master this skill.

In this blog, we will help you understand the benefits and components of emotional intelligence along with 5 simple tips to improve it.

What is emotional intelligence?

Emotional intelligence refers to the ability to be aware of, and manage, your own emotions, as well as the emotions of others. 

The term was first coined in 1990 by researchers John Mayer and Peter Salovey and later popularized by psychologist Daniel Goleman. More than a decade ago, Goleman highlighted the importance of emotional intelligence in leadership in an interview with the Harvard Business Review: 

“The most effective leaders are all alike in one crucial way: They all have a high degree of what has come to be known as emotional intelligence. It’s not that IQ and technical skills are irrelevant. They do matter, but they are the entry-level requirements for executive positions.”

To have emotional intelligence means you can choose how to feel. This benefits you and the people around you and means you can maintain and enhance your working relationships.

What are the components of emotional intelligence?

Become an emotionally intelligent leader

Being more strategic is crucial if you want to move into a more senior position or become a leader.  DMI’s Strategy and Planning course covers key areas that you’ll need such as digital communications, automation, big data and analytics, strategy formulation, and much more. Enroll today to get your career moving!

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• Presentation: Positive Habits for a Work-Life Balance
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• Podcast: Emotional Wellbeing in the Workplace
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