Why do people believe that it is better to go through life without showing emotions? Leaders sometimes overlook the power and impact of the human element in their business. Relationships with our stakeholders can suffer because we may believe that being a well-oiled robot tuned into the digital world, is the most intelligent thing to do in business.
People feel like they do not want to show emotion or they even say that there is no place for emotions in business. EQ (aka emotional intelligence) is undervalued.
So what happens during the day, in the life of an emotionally intelligent person? All people have habits and those who are aware of their feelings have certain skills that turn to good habits. These people are the true leaders. Strong EQ people are self-aware and know themselves well. This knowledge allows them to be constantly aware of their emotions and assist them to manage and direct their own behavior positively
An EQ person as socially aware and will walk into the office, and be constantly aware of other people’s behavior, moods and motives and then will use his/her skills to direct their own emotions to have a positive outcome and improve the relationship. A typical emotions-diary entry of such an EQ person will be:
6:00 I stay positive. I feel grateful every morning especially for my morning coffee. Although all the news around me is dauntingly negative, I don’t worry about it because I can’t control everything. Today I am going to focus my energy on giving attention to people’s problems and making the effort to resolve them. I will stay an optimist.
8:00 I arrive at the office and my emotions are intact. I am very specific with my word choice to vocally express my feelings. The better insight my staff and colleagues have into exactly how I feel, and what caused my distress, the better they know how to assist in solving the problem. I know that this will also aid in the building of the relationship.
9:00-12:00 Meeting time. I walk into the meeting and greet everyone friendly. My good manners, empathy, and kindness show that I care but I make a mental note that my colleagues must know my boundaries. When a conflict situation arises I know how to combine my skills and emotions to handle it effectively so that I don’t create an enemy while trying to neutralize the situations. I know that balance and staying clear from unfiltered emotional reactions is extremely important especially in meetings.
12:00-13:00 Lunch time. Although some might think I am an introvert, I know that because I am an EQ person, I am curious about other people. Because I am empathetic during lunch towards some colleagues, they know I care about other people and that I am able to put myself in their shoes.
13:00-14:00 The corridor treason. After hearing whispering hurtful chatter amongst other colleagues, I try to avoid the negative emotions, because I know that it will be accompanied by stress. I am a strong EQ person and I handle situations assertively.
14:00-17:00 No one will take away my joy and fun. During the rest of the day I don’t compare myself to others. I sit and drink my coffee and know that I am not depended on any other person for my own happiness. My self-worth comes from within. I know exactly what makes me happy, and I work the rest of the day to bring this happiness into everything I do.
17:00 I’m about to leave. Just as I am about to leave the office, someone says something negative to me, but because I am self-confident and open-minded, I have learnt to grow a pretty thick skin.
17:15 Driving home. During my drive home I talk to myself in a positive manner and self-motivate myself. I know that negative thoughts are not facts. My inner voice says to always think rational and stay clear-headed in evaluating my entire day.
EQ is not something you learn overnight. It is a continuous process and it takes skills, which The Mindspa Institute can teach you, to train your brain. It is important to repeatedly practice new emotionally intelligent behaviours, so as to convert them into good habits. Become an emotionally intelligent person by booking our EQ course. It will be the most intelligent decision you make.