Emotional Intelligence

In 1990 Peter Salovey and John Mayer coined the term “Emotional Intelligence”. Emotional intelligence means ‘ a person’s ability to manage their feelings so that those feelings are expressed appropriately and effectively’ ( Daniel Goleman, 1995).

There is a Mayer and Salovey Model in which they describe four different areas of Emotional Intelligence. They are as follows:-

1. The capacity to accurately sense one’s own and other people’s emotions.
2. The capacity to employ feelings as a tool for thought.
3. The capacity to comprehend feelings, their language, and the messages they send.
4. The capacity to control feelings in order to achieve particular objectives.

Daniel Goleman in his book ‘ Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ’ gave different elements of EI.

1.  Self awareness – the capacity to recognise and comprehend one’s own feelings as they arise and change.
2.  Self regulation – the ability to restrain one’s emotions such that, as opposed to reacting without thinking first, one will pause to consider their response.
3.  Internal motivation – it comprises optimism, resilience, initiative, or the willingness to seize chances, as well as a person’s inner drive to grow and commit to their goals.
4.  Empathy – the capacity to understand situations from the perspectives of others and to be aware of their needs and feelings, both individually and in groups.
5.  Social skills – Applying empathy and striking a balance between one’s own needs and desires and those of others are social skills. It entails fostering positive relationships with people.

There are different ways to practice Emotional Intelligence. a few of them are:-

1. having the capacity to take accountability and criticism.
2. Being capable of moving forward after committing an error.
3. Having the ability to refuse when necessary.
4. Being able to communicate your emotions to other people.
5. Having the ability to find solutions to issues that benefit all parties.
6.  Having compassion for other individuals.
7.  Possessing excellent listening abilities.
8.  Being aware of your motivations.
9.  Avoid passing judgement on other people.

Focus on developing your self-awareness by identifying and comprehending your own feelings if you want to become emotionally intelligent. Attempt to comprehend the sentiments of others by attentively listening to them and exercising empathy. Develop stronger relationships and more effective communication to enhance your social skills. Master self-regulation by controlling your feelings and responses in different circumstances. Finally, cultivate your motivation by establishing objectives for yourself and keeping an optimistic outlook. These actions aid in the development of a well-rounded and emotionally astute person.