Emotional intelligence and why do we need it?

Emotional intelligence is the capacity to identify and understand emotions, both within oneself and in others.  This ability not only aids the healthy expression of emotions but is an integral part of forming and developing meaningful relationships. Emotional intelligence is specifically important in high pressure situations, as emotions strongly influence how people behave and make decisions. When emotions run high, this can alter brain functions by impacting our executive functions, decision-making abilities and interpersonal skills.

Developing skills for emotional intelligence can create a positive impact on happiness and improve well-being. Research has demonstrated that higher emotional intelligence is strongly linked to self-monitoring skills, empathic perspective taking, relationship satisfaction and the ability to successfully cope with daily demands and challenges. It is important to think of it as a set of skills that need to be practiced to strengthen it. There are five components that make up our emotional intelligence: self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy and social skills. We can improve these components by:

·       Taking time to reflect on previous reactions and observing the thoughts and emotions that influenced the behaviour

·       Pausing before reacting to situations and controlling impulses to allow yourself time to re-evaluate challenges

·       Creating personal development goals and taking time to celebrate even the smallest of wins to invoke positive emotions which will influence behaviour

·       Engaging in perspective taking while communicating with others to better understand what they may be going through

·       Incorporating active listening skills, maintaining eye contact and using open body language to help build rapport with others

By monitoring our emotions and empathising with others, it enables us to live our lives with intention, purpose and autonomy. Thus, before reacting based on intense emotions, remember that these feelings are only temporary.

“The essential difference between emotion and reason is that emotion leads to action while reason leads to conclusions” – Donald Calne

Written By: Michelle Parinetto