Tom's Blog

Understanding the importance to EQ:

Core blog post 23 January 2023

Ever wondered what's different about these people? Those who can get along with anyone in the team, The ones who just get everything you are saying without you having to say much. Those that handle team conflict or difficult situations comfortably.

These people have one thing in common- high emotional intelligence.

Research suggests that a high emotional intelligence is associated with an array of benefits, from improved mental health and relationships, to higher job satisfaction and academic performance.

In this blog, we will dive into what emotional intelligence is, how they differ from IQ and why it is important for us.

What is Emotional intelligence?

Emotional intelligence is a person's ability to understand, use, and manage your own emotions in positive ways to communicate effectively, empathize with others, overcome challenges and defuse conflict. It is what helps us to perform better at school and work, build deeper relationships and make informed decisions about what matters to us the most.

Emotional Intelligence (otherwise known as emotional quotient or EQ) is commonly measured in 4 main components:

Self-awareness- Being able to recognize our own emotions and how they affect our thoughts and behavior. Seeing the patterns of our behaviors and motives. Knowing how our emotions and actions impact those around us, for better or for worse. Naming our own emotions when they come up and understand why they’re there. Exploring our strengths and weaknesses, and having self-confidence.

Self-management– Being able to control our impulsive feelings and behaviors. Controlling our emotions in healthy ways. Thinking before we act and considering the consequences. Knowing how to ease tension, managing conflict, and coping with difficult scenarios.

Social awareness- Understanding the emotions, needs and concerns of other people. Showing empathy and understanding where someone is coming from. Picking up emotional cues and feeling compassionate about what the other person is going through,

Relationship Management/Social skills- Knowing how to develop and maintain deeper relationships, adapting to different working teams. Communicating clearly using active listening, eye contacts, body languages. Inspiring. influencing and leading others

How is EQ different from IQ?

In order to understand how EQ differs from IQ, we need to first look at what IQ measures and how it is assessed.

Intelligence quotient (IQ) generally refers to our intellectual ability or overall mental ability. Common elements our IQ represent includes:

1. 1. Use logic to solve problems
2. 2. Plan and strategize
3. 3. Understand abstract ideas
4. 4. Learn and adapt to change
5. 5. Grasp and use language

Overall, IQ measures cognitive abilities which involves processing, knowledge, memory, and reasoning. IQ mainly affects expertise, critical thinking, and logic whereas EQ measures emotional competency which involves identifying, controlling, and using emotions. EQ mainly affects motivation, empathy, relationships, self-awareness, and self-control

Why is EQ important?

EQ is a vital part of our lives. Being the smartest person in the world does not necessarily mean being the most successful or having the most fulfilling life. It is very possible to be a person who is academically brilliant yet is unsuccessful at work or in relationships. IQ alone is not enough to build success in life. EQ and IQ both need to be developed to have a more enriched and fulfilling life. Research has shown that there is a correlation between higher EQ and happiness. Let's dive in to a bit more on what EQ can affect.

Emotional intelligence affects:

1. 1. Our performance at school or work- High EQ can help to build relationships with others, lead and motivate others, achieve the goals of our organization and increase our job satisfaction. It is becoming a trend for many companies to value emotional intelligence as important as technical ability when it comes to hiring.
2. 2. Our physical health- Managing your emotions and stress poorly can lead to serious health problems. Uncontrolled stress can raise blood pressure, suppress the immune system, and speed up the aging process. It is vital for us to manage stress by developing our emotional intelligence.
3. 3. Our mental health- Managing your emotions and stress poorly can also lead to mental problems such as anxiety and depression. If we lack the ability to get comfortable with, or manage our emotions, we can go into a more agitated state where we decrease in productivity and self confidence which can further disrupt our mental health.
4. 4. Your relationships- Humans feel more enriched and fulfilled through building positive relationships and developing cooperative connections. Higher EQ can allow us to express how we feel and understand how others are feeling. We are able to communicate more effectively which can strengthen our relationships.
5. 5. And MANY more!!- There is an endless amount of things EQ can affect our lives.

To Sum up

We learned what EQ is, how it differs from IQ and why it is important. Life is very complex and there are many factors which can impact our lives. It is important for us to prepare for what life can throw at us and developing emotional intelligence can help to acquire and improve social and emotional skills.