Emotional IQ

From WikEd

Revision as of 22:15, 11 April 2006

Definition

What is emotion?  According to The American Heritage Dictionary(1983)emotion is,
Agittion of the passions or sensibilities.  

A strong, complex feeling, as of joy, sorrow, or hate.

What is intelligence? According to the American Heritage Dictionary(1983)intelligence is, The capacity to acquire and apply knowledge.

According to Mayer& Salovey(1997)Emotional intelligence is the ability to perceive emotions, to access and generate emotions so as to assist thought, to understand emotions and emotional knowledge, and to reflectively regulate emotions so as to promote emotional and intellectual growth.

Four Areas of Emotional Intelligence

Identifying Emotions: The ability to recognize how you and those around you are feeling.

Using Emotions: The ability to generate an emotion and then reason with this emotion.

Understanding Emotions:the ability to understand complex emotions, emotional chains, how emotions transition from one stage to another.

Managing Emotions: the ability which allows you to manage emotions in your self and in others.

Five Components of Emotional Intelligence

Self Awareness The ability to recognize and understand your moods,emotions and drives , as well as their effects on others.

Self Regulation The ability to control or redirect disruptive impulses and moods; the propensity to suspend judgment(to think before acting)

Motivation A passion to work for reasons that go beyond money or status;a propensity to pursue goals with energy and persistence

Empathy The ability to understand the emotional makeup of other people; skill in treating people according to their emotional reacations

Social Skill Proficiency in managing relationships and building networks; an ability to find common ground and build rapport

Can Emotional Intelligence be Learned?

According to the Advanced Leadership Program, Emotional intelligece is centered in the brain's limbic system. In order to improve on ones emotional intelligence training programs need to focus their delievery style on this part of the brain. In otherwords, the training must help people to replace old habits with new ones.

Emotional IQ and the Workplace

One can see how in certain professions the emotional intelligence of an individual can enhance their abilities. A person with high emotional intelligence would work well in people oriented fields. Also, those interested in careers in management or executive positions need to have excellent skills in these areas.

Regardless, all workplace environments function more soundly when those in the system understand and have higher emotional intelligence. Improving a workplaces ability in this area might improve the environment in the workplace. The EI webpage suggests the following to improve and integrate emotion and thinking: Identify Emotions: How do I feel? How does the other person feel? Using Emotions to Facilitate Thought: Is the mood helpful? Does it focus our attention, motivate us, or blind us? Understanding Emotions: Why do I feel this way? Why does the other person feel this way? How will we feel? Manage Emotions: Do the decision and actions include emotional and logical data to achieve an adaptive outcome?

Emotional IQ Tests

Sites for testing your EQ

Test Your EQ

Emotional Intelligence Test

Books on Emotional Intelligence (EQ)

Personal Testimonies

Emotional Intelligence : Why It Can Matter More Than IQ by Daniel Goleman

The Emotional Intelligence Quick Book : Everything You Need to Know to Put Your EQ to Work by Patrick M. Lencioni