What Are Emotional Intelligence and Emotional Quotient?

Let's start by making sure we're all on the same page regarding exactly what emotional intelligence and quotient are.

Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize, understand, and manage our own emotions as well as those of others. It involves being aware of our feelings and how they affect us, as well as having empathy for others and being able to use emotional information to guide our thoughts and actions.

So, for example, someone with emotional intelligence is able to recognize and understand how they're feeling and why they're feeling that way. They can also understand the emotions of others and then use that information to guide their interactions with others.

Emotional quotient (EQ) is a measure of someone's emotional intelligence. It is often referred to as emotional intelligence quotient (EIQ) or emotional intelligence score (EIS).

Much like how traditional IQ measures cognitive abilities, EQ measures emotional abilities.

So, someone with a high EQ is very strong in emotional intelligence. They have a good handle on their own emotions and are able to effectively navigate social situations.

The 4 Components of Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence is typically broken down into four components:
● Perceiving emotions
● Reasoning with emotions
● Understanding emotions
● Managing emotions
Let's look at each of these in a bit more detail.

Perceiving Emotions

The first step in understanding your own emotions and the emotions of others is perceiving them. This involves being able to identify and recognize emotions in yourself and others.

For example, you may feel angry or frustrated but not realize it until someone points it out. Or, you may notice that a friend is acting distant and realize they are upset about something.

If you have a high EQ, you can easily perceive emotions in yourself and others. In other words, you have significant self-awareness. You can tell when something is "off" inside of you, even if you're not exactly sure what it is.

You can also quickly determine when someone else is experiencing emotions. Maybe you notice that their body language is different. Maybe they make different facial expressions that indicate something is amiss with them.

Reasoning with Emotions

Once you can perceive emotions, the next step is to use them to inform your thinking and decision-making. People with high EQs are adept at using their emotions to guide them in making choices and solving problems.

Emotions help you know what you should be paying attention to. When something captures your attention, you respond to it emotionally.

For example, if you're feeling anxious or nervous about an upcoming interview, you may use that emotion as a signal that you need to prepare more effectively for the interview.

Or, if you're feeling frustrated with a coworker, instead of immediately reacting with anger, you may pause and think about the situation from their perspective to try and understand where they are coming from.

Understanding Emotions

It's not enough to be able to perceive and reason with your emotions. You need to be able to clearly understand what they mean.

If you feel angry, there could be a variety of reasons for that anger. Maybe someone cut you off in traffic. Maybe you didn't get the promotion you were expecting.

When you have a high EQ, you're able to understand why you're feeling the way you are. You can point to the source of the emotions.

If you have a high EQ you are also skilled at identifying why others might be feeling a set of emotions. You may have an innate sense of why a person is feeling frustrated, worried, or overwhelmed. This understanding of emotions is a key component of empathy - the ability to understand and share the feelings of others.

Managing Emotions

Finally, emotional intelligence involves the ability to manage your emotions. This is one step beyond understanding them. Emotional intelligence includes the ability to regulate emotions and respond to them appropriately.

For example, let's say you're feeling extremely angry at a situation. You could react impulsively and yell or lash out, or you could take a step back, calm yourself down, and respond more constructively.

This ability to self-regulate is important not just for your emotional well-being but also for the well-being of those around you. It allows you to communicate and work through conflicts in a healthy and effective way.

In addition, managing emotions also involves being able to adapt to changes and handle stress effectively. A high EQ means being able to remain calm and clear-headed in the face of adversity, while still being able to think critically and make decisions.

What’s your biggest issue? How do you handle it – or can you think of any additional tips you can share with others if you don’t have an issue with this in your life?
Share them with us in our Comments – or share this blog post on Twitter or Facebook or wherever you feel it could help someone you know.


Cheers, Helene Malmsio

Related Reading: Emotional Intelligence (EQ)

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