In today’s world, the need for high levels of emotional intelligence is critical. Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize emotions in yourself and others, use these emotions to enhance thinking and behavior, and manage your moods.
Since psychologist Daniel Goleman first described emotional intelligence in 1995, it has become recognized as one of the significant contributors to success in life.
If you are looking to increase emotional intelligence in yourself or others, here are some top ways to do so.
1. Increase Self-Awareness
Becoming aware of your own emotions and those you cause in others is important for developing emotional intelligence. Taking time to stop and think about how you’re feeling will boost self-awareness and help you understand yourself better, leading to improved relationships and career success.
2. Make Use of Emotional Knowledge
Make use of your knowledge about emotions to enhance thinking and behavior. This is a powerful way to improve emotional intelligence, allowing you to channel your feelings more effectively.
3. Build Resilience
Adversity is a part of life, but it’s how you deal with adversity that matters. Emotions tend to be more intense when they’re unexpected and more difficult to manage. By learning techniques such as emotional labeling and self-talk, you can develop the resilience needed to keep your emotions in check under any circumstances.
4. Practice Active Listening
Listening is an essential part of emotional intelligence. By practicing active listening, you can improve your ability to empathize with others and manage relationships better. Active listening skills include:
- Reflecting emotions (you reflect on what you think the speaker might be feeling)
- Paraphrasing (you repeat what the speaker has said to demonstrate that you have been listening)
- Confirming (you respond with a summary to show that you have understood what the other person has said)
5. Develop a Positive Attitude
Being positive about yourself, the world around you, and your future is a prime component of emotional intelligence. This is because having a positive attitude helps you be more aware of your emotions, learn from them, use emotional knowledge, and communicate effectively with others.
By increasing your emotional intelligence, you can enhance your career success and personal relationships.