Emotional intelligence is often defined as the ability to recognize and manage our own emotions, as well as to recognize and influence the emotions of others.
Developing our emotional intelligence allows us to have greater self-control and know how to manage our emotions and our behavior in the world, especially in situations of greater pressure. It also allows us to have a greater awareness of our environment and the emotions generated in others.
Having this recognition and ability to influence the emotions of others leaves us open to success, because normally people do business with those they trust.
The fundamental components of emotional intelligence
There are some elements that help people to connect and recognize their own emotional states as well as those of others:
1. Self-awareness
Refers to the ability to recognize our own emotional state and how we are presenting ourselves to the world
2. Self-regulation
Ability to control our actions before the outside world, especially in pressure situations and to keep our emotions under control when the situation requires it.
3. Motivation
It has to do with passion or what moves us to do certain things beyond commitments and that leads us to give our best.
4. Empathy for others
It is to recognize and feel the emotions that the people around us are experiencing as a result of their own life process
5. Social skills
They refer to the ability to build accurate communication and bonding relationships that can generate adequate networks for our personal development.
All of these are fundamental components that contribute to effective emotional intelligence ; However, the most important thing about this is the capacity or strength that we have to be able to activate it. Here we tell you how to do it.
6 strategies to activate your emotional intelligence
1. Keep a journal
The first thing is to be able to list which are those situations that activate our explosive or negative side that generate some unwanted feelings such as anger or frustration. For this, it is important to always have a diary at hand to help us record these situations that activate these feelings and also to write different strategies that we can apply to face them in a positive way.
It is important to periodically review what is registered, to process it and assume it when one of these “explosive” situations occurs.
2. Practice being calm
Analyzing our reactions to adverse situations and building strategies to deal with them properly helps us to study and put into practice our own self-control; in this way we can move to a second level of experimentation that allows us to study what we achieve with our reaction, both in others and in ourselves. In this way we will realize that our own reactions, most of the time, place us further from the expected result.
Practice counting to ten, closing your eyes, and taking deep breaths the next time you find yourself in a situation like this – it will help you control your emotions rather than your emotions controlling you.
3. Be positive
Always drive situations from optimism. Find the silver lining in the storm and look to challenges as opportunities for growth . This will set the tone for how others will respond to difficult situations.
4. Put yourself in the other person’s position
You must strengthen the “empathy muscle.” Consider how situations affect others and worry about their true well-being or difficulties. They will recognize your level of empathy and solidarity.
5. Pay attention to body language
Check your body position in certain situations or people. Do you usually have an open or closed posture? Starting to study your own body positioning will help you analyze your disposition to other people or in particular situations. Think that this tells other people how you really feel, even if your verbal language says otherwise.
If you manage to study yourself bodily, then you can more easily identify what the attitude of others is in certain situations and it will put you at an advantage to know how to act.
6. Practice gratitude
Being grateful to all the people who accompany you in the achievement of your goals and showing it in an affective way tells them that you recognize the importance they have for the achievement of common goals and your own, which generates great loyalty and leadership.
What are the benefits of applying emotional intelligence?
Developing emotional intelligence will allow you not only to have greater control of yourself, but also of the spaces where you operate, allowing you to be more comfortable and also making the people who accompany you feel more comfortable.
Normally, people who manage to develop their emotional intelligence tend to be leaders and generate great loyalty, since they connect deeply with the members and interests of the group, generating great confidence and security to give the most of themselves to the causes raised by you. and by the group.
Optimism, empathy, tranquility and gratitude are some of the keys that will help you achieve it. Try it!
References
- Levin, M. The Most Important Aspect of Emotional Intelligence that no one talks about. For Inc [Revised May 2018]
