“Thank you Corinne! I will admit that I am usually pretty skeptical about these sessions but I have tried to be as open and receptive as possible and have learnt an enormous amount over the three sessions. Not just that but am actually using the strategies both at work and in my personal life and it’s fair to say, it has been lifechanging for me. And it’s not the content but your delivery that has made the difference.”
I received this email last week about a training program I have been facilitating for a group of senior executives which included a session on Emotional Intelligence and the GENOS 360 profiling tool.
Everyone has emotions. It‘s a simple fact – a part of our being human. And whether we realise it or not, these emotions impact us every day. They also impact those around us, both in the workplace and in our personal lives.
Think of a time when you experienced an emotion; for example, joy. Perhaps you had a great weekend or accomplished a difficult task at work. How did this emotion impact your mood, your energy levels and the conversations you had with friends or co-workers? Now think of a different emotion; for example, anger. Perhaps a co-worker said something that ‘rubbed you the wrong way‘ or you thought that a friend betrayed a confidence. How did this emotion impact your mood and your behaviours? Perhaps you sent an angry email or said something in the heat of the moment that you later regretted.
Emotional Intelligence (EI) is a set of skills that help us better perceive, understand and manage emotions in ourselves and in others. Collectively they help us make intelligent responses to, and use of, emotions. These skills are as important as your intellect (IQ) in determining success in work and in life. Everyone, no matter what job function, has interactions with other people. Your capacity to understand your emotions, to be aware of them and how they impact the way you behave and relate to others, will improve your ‘people‘ skills and help you ultimately be more satisfied and successful.
Last, but not least, some great news! Emotional Intelligence can be developed and improved over time. All that is required is practice, a desire and commitment to improve and a foundation of self-awareness.
Over the next few months I will focus on a different aspect of emotional intelligence and some tips for improving this skill.