Emotional Intelligence (E-i)

Emotional intelligence (E-i) is all about being aware of and managing your own emotions. It means being able to identify the emotional states that you experience while understanding how those emotions—and the way that you communicate them—impacts you and those around you. E-i, which is often referred to as EQ, is defined as the ability to recognize and manage one’s emotions, preferences, motives, and needs.

But why is this important, or why should I care, you might ask? Well, when you understand how you’re wired, you can better position yourself to be successful in whatever you do. The world is wrought with challenges that can affect personal well-being. Having a clear approach to managing change and conflict, can put you in a prime position to focus on your natural talents and passions. As well, it’s likely that every relationship you’ve ever had has either been bettered by strong E-i or suffered from a lack of it.

Having high E-i is what makes us better at expressing ourselves and helping others to better understand who we are. It’s also proven to be the most critical intelligence for effectively leading, managing, and interacting with others. In fact, studies have shown that having high E-i contributes to our own personal and life satisfaction, as well as career progress and success. According to this Forbes article, research carried out by the Carnegie Institute of Technology revealed that 85 percent of your financial success is due to skills in “human engineering” – your personality and ability to communicate, negotiate and lead – while only 15 percent is due to technical knowledge. This means, that you’re the purveyor of your own well being and trajectory. And it starts with authentically and honestly taking accountability in yourself.

The good news is, you already have all the tools you need for learning how you’re wired. Your Prism Portrait is a deep dive into everything about you that contributes to your own brand of emotional intelligence. This week take some time to revisit your Prism Portrait and consider how your most notable attributes might contribute to your most common—and uncommon—emotional states, attitudes and behaviors.

Remember, reacting is emotional—responding is emotional intelligence.

“Anyone can be angry–that is easy. But to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose, and in the right way–that is not easy.”

— Aristotle

Author

by Adam Schneider

Adam Schneider is SurePeople's Head of Content, leading the end-to-end enterprise-level content strategy, production, and management for a global platform ecosystem. At the core of his practice, he's a scientist with a passion for storytelling. At the core of his Prism, he's a double Catalyst with a passion for people.