It’s a scientific fact that emotions precede thought. When emotions are at a high, they change the way our brains function…lowering our cognitive abilities, decision-making powers, and even interpersonal skills. Understanding and managing our emotions (and the emotions of others) helps us to be more successful in both our personal and professional lives.
At a personal level, emotional intelligence helps us:
- Have uncomfortable conversations without hurting feelings
- Manage our emotions when stressed or feeling overwhelmed
- Improve relationships with the people we care about
At work, emotional intelligence can help us: - Resolve conflicts
- Coach and motivate others
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Create a culture of collaboration
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Build psychological safety within teams
Being low on emotional intelligence can have a number of drawbacks, but having a very high level of emotional skills can also come with challenges. For example:
Research suggests that people with high emotional intelligence may actually be less creative and innovative.
Highly emotionally intelligent people may have a hard time delivering negative feedback for fear of hurting other people’s feelings.
Research has found that high EQ can sometimes be used for manipulative and deceptive purposes.
Author: Catherine Perri – JUMP Trainer