Having a high level of emotional intelligence enables people to more beneficially deal with social and business situations.  It’s also a skill that may be developed with practice so if your EI needs a boost, read on…

Last week, we discussed developing the habit of identifying your emotions.  This is a trait of people with higher levels of emotional intelligence.  Once you know your emotions, you’re closer to controlling them and this is the next step to achieving your goals in any personal interaction.

Most people don’t react well to others who are bossy, moody, constantly selling, overbearing, sad, angry, nervous, control freaks, hyper, rude, diffident or possess a socially abnormal trait that’s too far left of centre.  So if you frequently display these, or other emotional negatives, consider how others are perceiving you and how that perception is restricting you from achieving your goals. 

Humans progress through relationships based on mutual respect.  The traits listed above are unlikely to develop respect so displaying them consistently will hinder productive relationships. 

Remember the little voice from last week?  Well, it’s time to reactivate her!

Practice identifying your emotions in everyday situations.  When talking to the butcher, doing the laundry and making dinner tell yourself how you’re feeling.  Develop the habit of recognising the calm that comes from doing the mundane chores you are a complete master of.  Search deep inside the person you are at those times so you are living and breathing the confidence and peacefulness that comes from doing something you are in control of.  It’s not about making you ecstatically happy about unloading the dishwasher!  It’s about getting to know the you who is in control of situations.

Once you know that person, like that person and can see the benefits of being that person you can more easily become that person in unfamiliar situations.  You will learn to step into that person and display the emotions others react well to.  

It’ll take practice, persistence and patience but it’s the next step to influencing the reactions of others.

We hope you have enjoed the next in our series of Emotional Intelligence. If you would like to get our blog conveniently delivered to your inbox then please follow this link. 

From those in Heels