What Is Emotional Intelligence and How Do You Use It?

It's a skill that'll come in handy.

Are you hearing the term 'emotional intelligence' thrown around on the internet or social media way more than usual? Yeah, you're not the only one.

Emotional intelligence (EI) is being discussed far more nowadays, and for good reason. In fact, employers reckon EI is one of the most critical skills for the future workforce, so it's definitely something you'll want to get a handle on sooner rather than later. 

Except, what really is EI? The whole concept does seem fairly self-explanatory. Surely it's just being able to identify your feelings, right? 

Well, kind of... but it's also a whole lot more than that. 

So, let's break it down together.

So, what is emotional intelligence? 

According to Verywell Mind, EI refers to our ability to perceive, control and evaluate our emotions. 

While being able to express and control our emotions is crucial, it's equally as important to understand, interpret and respond to the emotions of other people too. 

American psychologist Daniel Goleman believes EI is a cluster of skills and competencies, which are focused on four capabilities: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and relationship management. 

Self-awareness is all about identifying how you feel and knowing how your emotions and actions can impact the people around you. On the other hand, staying in control of your emotions is where self-management comes in. 

Social awareness refers to your ability to have empathy for others, while relationship management covers how you work with others and resolve conflicts. 

It all sounds like pretty common sense stuff. But if you think about it, we have to use skills like self-awareness and relationship management every single day.

Plus, you'd probably be surprised how many people struggle with aspects of self-management and social awareness. 

What's the difference between EI, EQ and IQ?

When you're seeing abbreviations like EI, EQ and IQ all the time, it can really hurt your brain. 

It's vital to note that EI and EQ are actually slightly different things. EI is your ability to understand, use and manage your emotions in positive ways. EQ, which stands for 'emotional quotient', is the scoring result after measuring your level of EI based on the core concepts. Although, you should be prepared to see the terms used interchangeably (just to make things even more confusing for you). 

IQ is your intelligence quotient. This is an assessment of your cognitive abilities and provides a score meant to be a measure of intellectual potential, so it's separate to EI and EQ. 

Why is improving your emotional intelligence so important? 

Well, here's the thing: the job market is highly competitive. Earlier this month, it was reported that 106 applicants are going for each entry-level job, which is a lot.

That's why it's crucial you have the EI skills to help you nail a job interview and thrive in the workplace. Not only are emotionally intelligent employees more likely to stay calm under pressure (which is pretty difficult, let's be honest), but they're also able to empathise with other team members. 

With technology evolving at an incredibly rapid pace, machines can't exactly replace meaningful human connection. EI helps to create a positive working atmosphere and makes it easier for employees to think creatively. 

Although, you don't have to be an employee to develop your EI. The University of Sydney reported that students who have a better grasp on managing their emotions tend to achieve higher grades. 

Okay, so how do I improve my emotional intelligence? 

While it's easy to have some understanding of EI, it's much more difficult to improve your skills. It takes a lot of time and effort to be self-aware and change unhelpful behaviours. 

However, putting some effort towards developing your EI is undoubtedly worth it, and there are a whole heap of strategies you can implement in your day-to-day life. 

This begins by paying more attention to how you behave, taking responsibility for your feelings and behaviours, along with examining how your actions affect others. 

If you have absolutely no idea where to start, you could try taking a free EI quiz to evaluate what your strengths and weaknesses are. 

Now, go forth and understand your emotions! 

Header Image: ABC