By Jernavis Draughn
What is the definition of “Emotional Intelligence”? It is the ability to identify and manage your own emotions and the emotions of others. Simply put, emotional intelligence helps people control their impulses.
Learning how to deal with your anger, anxiety, uncertainty and sadness are essential elements of life. Our mood and thoughts are constantly changing. The ability to manage your emotions gives you a sense of control in your overall life. Emotional intelligence helps you handle and understand that failure is a part of the growth process. Daniel Goleman, who coined and wrote the book, “Emotional Intelligence”, said “ if your emotional abilities aren’t in hand, if you don’t have self-awareness, if you are not able to manage your distressing emotions, if you can’t have empathy and have effective relationships, then no matter how smart you are, you are not going to get very far”.
Emotional intelligence starts to develop in the earlier years. All the small exchanges children have with their parents, teachers, and with each other carry emotional messages. Daniel Goleman as quoted above goes on to explains that emotional ‘literacy’ implies an expanded responsibility for schools in helping to socialize children. This daunting task requires two major changes: teachers must go beyond their traditional mission and people in the community must become more involved with schools as both active participants in children’s learning and as individual mentors.
The value of becoming emotionally intelligent can help you grow in business, relationships and work. Master these 4 domains below and your life will be forever changed.
4 Domains of Emotional Intelligence:
- Self-awareness– The ability to recognize and understand personal moods and emotions.
- Self-management– The ability to control or redirect disruptive impulses and moods.
- Empathy– The ability to understand the emotional makeup of other people.
- Relationship/Social Skills– The ability to build and manage healthy relationships.
Quote of The Day: “Your intellect may be confused, but your emotions will never lie to you.”- Roger Ebert