A common question that is often asked about Emotional Intelligence is …. “Can EQ be learned?” We have all experienced or have met people that seem to be naturally gifted at controlling or recognizing their emotions. These individuals seem to understand how to put others in a comfortable place, or get them engaged, or even to give another person whatever it is that they need at that time.
The good news is that while some people have EQ as a natural talent, for those that don’t, EQ skills can be learned. There has been some clear and focused research that supports this fact. People can learn how to interact more effectively at work and increase their emotional intelligence. To make this happen, an individual needs to be personally motivated to do this. Individuals need to first have a handle of where they are starting from (assessment) and then understand which of the five components of EQ need the greatest attention.
Each one of these five components has specific elements and action items that can help with an increase in these areas.
For example:
Self Awareness – Take your emotional temperature on a regular basis and asking yourself, “what am I feeling right now?”
Self-Regulation – Creating a list of things that positively impact you to reduce any negative emotion you may be experiencing.
Motivation – Creating a “Vision Board” of those things that you find motivating and goals for which you are striving. Refer to this board often.
Empathy – Identifying a role model that you would describe as empathetic. What are the things that this person does that demonstrates empathy? Which of these qualities can you learn and demonstrate the same?
Social Skills – Creating a calendar for how / when you reach out to others to build stronger relationships.
If you would like more information regarding the programs and services that we provide related to this topic, please contact us at 610.454.1557 or email basharon@trainingedge.com.