Emotional intelligence has to do with a person’s ability to recognize, understand, and manage his or her own emotions and the emotions of others. Emotions can help us solve problems and guide our relationships, both at home and at work. Some people (with high emotional intelligence or EQ) harness the wisdom of emotions better than others. Emotionally intelligent people are easy to spot because they tend to:
Successfully manage difficult situations
Express themselves clearly
Gain respect from others
Influence other people
Entice other people to help them out
Keep cool under pressure
Recognize their emotional reactions to people or situations
Know how to say the “right” thing to get the right result
Manage themselves effectively when negotiating
Manage other people effectively when negotiating
Motivate themselves to get things done
Know how to be positive, even during difficult situations
Even if your EQ is low, you always have the potential to improve. So don’t fret — with practice, you can build on your existing skills to become more emotionally intelligent.