Emotional Intelligence: Navigating Feelings for Success

The Science of Emotional Intelligence: Navigating Feelings for Success. How to Harness the Power of Emotional Intelligence to Achieve Your Goals

Emotional intelligence (EI) is a critical skill that can help you achieve success in all areas of your life. Unlike IQ, which is fixed, EI is a flexible set of skills that can be developed and improved with practice. In this article, we will explore the science behind emotional intelligence and how it can help you navigate your feelings for success.

According to Dr. Travis Bradberry, co-author of Emotional Intelligence 2.0, emotional intelligence is made up of four core skills that pair up under two primary competencies: personal competence and social competence.

Personal Competence

Personal competence comprises your self-awareness and self-management skills, which focus more on you individually than on your interactions with other people. The personal competence aspect of emotional intelligence is important because it’s your ability to stay aware of your emotions and manage your behavior and tendencies.

Self-awareness is your ability to accurately perceive your emotions and stay aware of them as they happen. Self-management is your ability to use awareness of your emotions to stay flexible and positively direct your behavior.

Social Competence

Social competence is made up of your social awareness and relationship management skills. It is your ability to understand other people’s behavior, moods and motives in order to respond effectively and improve the quality of your relationships. Social awareness is your ability to accurately pick up on emotions in other people and understand what is really going on. Relationship management is your ability to use awareness of your emotions and others’ emotions to manage interactions successfully.

Emotional Intelligence and Success

Stephen Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, also emphasizes the importance of emotional intelligence in achieving success. He shares that emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and manage your own emotions, and those of the people around you. Covey believes that emotional intelligence is a key factor in building strong relationships, which are essential for success in both your personal and professional life.

So, how can you develop your emotional intelligence? Here are some key takeaways:

1. Practice self-awareness: Take time to reflect on your emotions and how they impact your behavior. Identify your emotional triggers and learn how to manage them effectively.
2. Cultivate self-management skills: Use your self-awareness to stay flexible and positively direct your behavior. Learn how to regulate your emotions and respond appropriately to different situations.
3. Develop social awareness: Pay attention to the emotions of the people around you. Learn how to accurately pick up on emotions in other people and understand what is really going on.
4. Build relationship management skills: Use your awareness of your emotions and others’ emotions to manage interactions successfully. Learn how to communicate effectively and build strong relationships.
5. Practice, practice, practice: Developing emotional intelligence is an ongoing process. The more you practice, the better you will become.

Emotional intelligence is a critical skill that can help you achieve success in all areas of your life. By developing your emotional intelligence, you can learn how to navigate your feelings for success. Remember to practice self-awareness, cultivate self-management skills, develop social awareness, build relationship management skills, and practice, practice, practice. With these skills, you can harness the power of emotional intelligence to achieve your goals and live a fulfilling life.

Dr. Travis Bradberry explains the concept and importance of emotional intelligence (EQ), which is the ability to understand and manage one’s own emotions and those of others. He shows how EQ is distinct from IQ and personality, and how it affects performance, leadership and well-being. According to Dr. Travis Bradberry, decades of research now point to emotional intelligence as the most important factor that sets star performers apart from the rest of the pack. 

Stephen Covey shares that emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and manage your own emotions, and those of the people around you. Covey believes that emotional intelligence is a key factor in building strong relationships, which are essential for success in both your personal and professional life.