Emotional Intelligence (EI)
SIMPLY PUT:
Emotional Intelligence (EI) is the ability to manage both your own emotions and understand the emotions of people around you.
5 KEY ELEMENTS TO (EI):
1.Self-Awareness/Social Awareness,
2.Self-Regulation (Self-Management),
3.Empathy (Compassion towards others),
4.Social Skills/Relationship Management (Communicating effectively)
5.Emotional Reactivity (defusing conflict)
WAYS THAT REFLECT (EI):
1.Being able to ACCEPT criticism and responsibility.
2.Being able to move on & LEARN from making a mistake.
3.Being able to SAY NO when you need to.
4.Being able to respectfully SHARE your feelings with others, without offending them.
5.Being able to solve problems in ways that work for everyone (COMPROMISE).
EMOTIONAL REACTIVITY (THE KEY):
What exactly is Emotional Reactivity? In essence, it is the ability to SEE PAST what is OUTWARDLY SAID- to what someone might be experiencing UNDERNEATH. It is the awareness to TRANSLATE the undercurrents of the conversation- DECIFERING what is really happening between you and others and being able to COMPASSIONATELY address what the TRUE issues are. It is responsibly dealing with the ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM, without inciting it to rampage! It is defusing the UNSPOKEN feelings of negativity before they erupt. It connotes the ability to READ OTHERS & observe the EMOTIONAL CUES they are giving OFF- thereby avoiding fewer unintended consequences.
MY EXPANDED DEFINITION OF (EI):
Creative-Introspection & Discipline on Steroids. Even Einstein stated that creativity (imagination) is more important than knowledge. The element of CREATIVITY is often overlooked in examining (EI)- For, it gives us the foresight to ANTICIPATE the detrimental consequences of our contemplated behavior. On the other hand- Discipline grants us the requisite SELF-CONTROL to avoid engaging in any behavior that inflames the situation. In summation, (EI) is the REALIZATION that there are successive dominos behind the OBVIOUS domino (standing in front of us) and having the self-restraint to NOT push it. It is placing ourselves in the other persons skin and anticipating how they would respond to our APPROACH-CHOICE. It is exercising Quick Self-Analysis and asking ourselves- How would I feel (or react) if that were said to me? (EI) can manifest as remaining SILENT when words are not effective, or it can be expressed by NOT responding to a leading-slight (by not TAKING THE BAIT)! It can be displayed as a sympathetic SMILE or a simple compassionate TOUCH. It can be demonstrated by an unopinionated empathetic phrase such as, ‘That’s not a good place to be in’ - even when we DISAGREE! …Yes, even when we disagree, (knowing that an opposing view @ this time would be taken as an unwarranted hurtful criticism).
P.S. There is that which you (see/hear) and that which YOU FEEL. To clearly READ YOUR SURROUNDINGS- FEEL the emotional signature prior to RETORTING. Know your audience and trust that feeling! Look, why walk into trouble when you can FEEL IT unfolding before you? Call it Emotional Fore-FEEL-ability!
B.P.S. Indeed, (EI) is something ALL OF US need to procure more of. Thus, the MOST appreciative phrase of all comes to mind, “I get it. I FEEL YOU!” 😊…From the Lookout Post.