Emotional intelligence is valued at work and in personal relationships, but not all can consider themselves emotionally intelligent. If you often find yourself at the center of conflicts or misunderstandings, there’s a high chance that you need to improve on your emotional intelligence. Blaming others, refusing to listen to others, getting easily frustrated, and having frequent emotional outbursts are signs of low emotional intelligence. When you can’t understand how others are feeling or where they’re coming from, you need to work on your emotional intelligence.

Emotional Intelligence Can Be Learned

Maybe you’ve already noticed that most people who succeed aren’t the smartest or academically gifted. The leaders we admire, and the wealthiest entrepreneurs show a balanced EQ and IQ. You need both to achieve your goals. Emotional intelligence impacts all areas of your life, from your physical and mental health to your relationships and productivity at work. It’s a skill that’s considered valuable in business and the corporate world because it directly affects your performance and those around you, too.

5 Steps to Improve Emotional Intelligence

1 Improve your self-awareness

The first step to improve your emotional intelligence is to be aware of your own emotions. Take a long honest look at yourself. What emotions do you feel in certain situations? Can you take control of them? Observe how your emotions influence your thoughts and actions. When you are self-aware, you can be in control.

2 Improve your self-regulation

Self-regulation is your ability to manage impulses and unresourceful emotions. It’s your ability to tolerate uncomfortable feelings without having an emotional outburst. Mindfulness meditation, focusing on solutions instead of problems, and reframing your negative thoughts into positive ones can help you improve the ability to control your emotions.

3 Adopt a growth mindset

Emotionally intelligent people are motivated to learn and grow. See the opportunities in every challenge and have a sense of purpose.

4 Become more empathetic

Focus on the needs of others and listen to their points of view. Silence your inner voice that makes personal judgments before the other person speaks up. Place yourself in the shoes of the other person and try to assess where he is coming from.

5 Improve your social skills

Be genuinely interested in others. Observe the attitude of the most likable people in social gatherings. They’re friendly, positive, and respectful. They participate in conversations, expressing themselves thoughtfully while accepting and responding to other viewpoints. They’re likable because of how they make other people feel. Imitate how they interact in social settings.

Summary:

Improving your emotional intelligence will also enhance your work and personal relationships, which are both important to your success.

  • Be self-aware.
  • Learn to self-regulate.
  • Focus on growth.
  • Be empathetic.
  • Work on your social skills.