Improving Your motional Intelligence E

by Nicholas C. Hill

When the heat is on and the stakes are high, your emotions can get the better of you, which can hamper your performance and productivity. Unwanted emotions left unmanaged can lead to stress or a nervous breakdown.

Psychologist Daniel Goleman introduced the concept of Emotional Intelligence (EI) in a 1995 edition of Time Magazine. I have often referred to the model as Emotional Quotient (EQ), which provides a more apt label that reflects its purpose. According to Goleman, EQ promotes self-management and leadership competency. Peter Salovey and John D. Mayer, renowned researchers on the subject in 1990, believed EQ to be a derivative of social intelligence, which enables you to identify and measure your emotions and those of others. Furthermore, the ability to utilise your emotions resourcefully to influence your cognition and behaviour determines the level of your EQ.

I have outlined four fundamental facets of EQ for you below. The speed at which you can master any of the following areas determines your EQ level.

You may not be aware of what causes some of your emotional states. This lack of emotional awareness makes you powerless in the face of your unconscious triggers. Therefore, identify your emotional catalysts. Become conscious of all external factors that trigger your emotional states. By revealing the cause of your emotional states, you have better control over the effect.

Consider your emotions a colourful spectrum made up of a multitude. Train yourself to become conscious of your emotional experiences and label them. In doing so, you provide more accurate descriptions of how you feel. For instance, you might have labelled a feeling as ‘sadness’.

However, upon reflection, a more accurate label might be ‘disappointment.’ Consequently, your cognitive and behavioural response to the labelling will be different and more appropriate.

Your emotions serve a purpose. Therefore, each one has a message for you. Your cerebral hemispheres generate emotions to initiate action, protecting you from pain or leading you to pleasure. This proposed action changes your thinking or behaviour, which necessitates growth. Such growth can be in the form of wisdom or maturity.

Learn how to manage your emotions. How you handle feelings and their catalysts determines your emotional responsibly if you want to lessen a particular emotion. Avoid nurturing unwanted emotions. This principle applies to both yourself and others.

EQ is irrelevant in robotics

resourcefulness. Act on that feeling quickly and because machines are not self-aware - at least not