Emotional Intelligence: EQ

Psychologists all over the world have come to the consensus that only 20 percent of a person’s success can be attributed to his intelligence. The other 80 percent can be credited to the person’s emotional intelligence. The concept of emotional intelligence is quite complex and mired in a lot of controversy. According to Emotional Intelligence, the janitor of a business school could be more emotionally intelligent than some of its PhD. Professors.

Many parameters have been used in the past to capture the very essence of emotional intelligence. People with greater emotional intelligence generally have better control over the trajectory of their lives. They have the capacity to recognize a feeling as it happens. It is almost as if he has the ability to evaluate his gut feelings and modify them to suit the situation.

There is the complete ability to reject pessimism is all its forms. The positive feelings of confidence, happiness and enthusiasm are harnessed to help the individual achieve great heights. They have the capacity to reframe any negative feelings and emotions in a positive framework. Most successful sportsmen, artists and businessmen have shown that they are able to motivate themselves to constantly strive for absolute perfection.

Another hallmark of emotionally intelligent people is that they are able to delay or completely deny an impulse if they feel that it is creating barriers in achievement of their goals. This is a skill that can be honed through diligent practice. As a result they are socially more assertive, and are able to cope with life’s frustrations better. They seldom lose sight of the long-term goals that they have set.

It is impossible for anyone to control ones moods, but it is possible to control the duration that one spends in a good or bad mood. A balance of both moods is required to build character in life. People with a high degree of emotional intelligence are able to reframe their moods to suit their convenience. If they are angry, and feel hard done by a particular person or situation, they consciously reinterpret the situation in a positive light. Rather than finding an outlet to ventilate their anger, they go off and cool down. This technique of reframing situations helps take care of instances of anxiety and depression. This can also be backed up by various breathing techniques and meditation.

Highly developed people skills are another aspect of high emotional intelligence. It is extremely crucial that one knows exactly how the other person is feeling in any relationship: friendship, romance, work or family. A high degree of sensitivity is required to catch the mood that the other person is transmitting. The signals that one sends to others can be modified according to the corresponding signals that one receives from them. They are people who are able to cultivate a network of people who are ready to help out in a time of need.

Many organizations have begun to design specific tests for emotional intelligence. Organizations are giving more weightage to attitude tests rather than aptitude tests. Many are also giving priority to EQ over IQ.