Emotional intelligence (EI) refers to the ability to perceive, control and evaluate emotions. Some researchers suggest that emotional intelligence can be learned and strengthened, while others claim it is an inborn characteristic. “Emotional intelligence is the key to both personal and professional success” We all know people, in our workplace or in our personal lives, who are great at listening and helping us feel more hopeful and optimistic. Do you wish you had the ability to control your emotions too? Your emotions and the ability to handle your own feelings can determine your success and overall happiness in all aspects of your life. Improving your EL can have a direct and positive effect on both your energy levels and consciousness too. Here are ten simple steps you can use to improve your EI and develop your self-awareness and empathy. 
1. Self-Awareness.
Whilst rushing from one commitment to another to meet deadlines, and external demands, it is easy to lose touch with our emotions. When we begin to pay attention to how we’re feeling, we can then begin to recognise those that are working for our benefit and those that are potentially harmful.
2. Emotions.
Do you notice how you act when you’re experiencing certain emotions during your day-to-day life and the impact these have on you and your working colleagues? Are you communicating to your best ability with them? Is your behaviour affecting both yours and their productivity, and ultimately your overall sense of well-being? The ability to manage emotions effectively is a ‘key’ part of emotional intelligence.
3. Self-Regulation.
Emotionally, self-regulation is the ability to calm yourself down when you’re upset and cheer yourself up when you’re down. Do you take Responsibility for Your Feelings and Behaviour? If you become aware where your emotions and behaviour come from you—you will begin to realise that you’re the only one who’s responsible for them. By learning to control and manage your emotions, especially your impulses, you are able to prepare yourself for emotional self-management.
4. Empathy.
Empathy is extremely powerful and essential to raising your emotional intelligence. Practice Empathising, with Yourself, and Others. Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. Practicing this ability will improve you’re EI, and can dramatically improve your relationships with others.
5. Create A Positive Environment.
Positivity will not only improve your quality of life, but it can be contagious to people around you too. Evidence shows that positivity increases when workers are given increased flexibility in their roles and more work-life balance. Being positive also helps deliver improved productivity.
6. Motivation.
People with high levels of EI often make great decision-makers, decision makers as they know when to choose to follow their intuition rather than just the facts
6. Able To Take Self Criticism.
Learning how to take criticism and knowing how and when to use it to improve your performance is crucial. EI people are usually motivated to see and find resolutions to these problems in calm and rational ways. People with high levels of EI tend to be more productive, and passionate about wanting success.
6. Social Skills.
People that have learnt to develop their EI competencies are more easily able to talk and connect with others. They tend to really care about others in a socially responsible way and not just out to achieve their own personal gain. These individuals’ are great team members and are able to take responsibility for their actions and the impact it has on others. Having a high EI gives you the social skills to influence the emotions of others well too.
7. Happiness.
To demonstrate a high emotional intelligence means you will have the ability to know when to show happiness sadness, excitement, anxiety, or even vigilance. These traits can be extremely important as very few people ever know how to manage their own happiness. Nowadays, happiness is so often associated with material goods or gifts they receive from others. Happy individuals with positive emotions appear to invigorate human beings, while negative emotions have the opposite effect.
To Summarise
To be effective in the workplace it is essential to have a solid understanding of how their emotions and actions affect the people around you. The better a person is able to relate to and works with others, the more he or she will succeed. Our brains are built for connecting. By developing your EI skills as a leader, you can have a profound effect on those around you, both at work, at home, and in the wider community. So, take the time to work on your self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills. The results with be substantial and will help you exceed all expectations in the future! And of course if you’d like to develop your own Emotional Intelligence we can help you do it. Take a look here.
