Not every skill is taught in school, but that doesn't stop them from being vital. Emotional Intelligence is one such skill – not taught in school, but very important. It can be one of the edges you have in your academics that set you up for success in your career. Here are reasons why emotional intelligence is one the fastest growing skills and how it can contribute to your future.
What is emotional intelligence?
Emotional intelligence, also known as emotional quotient or EQ, is the ability to understand, use, and manage your own emotions in positive ways to relieve stress, communicate effectively, empathize with others, overcome challenges and defuse conflict. Simply put, it is your ability to maneuver and interact with your emotions and those of others. It is commonly divided into four fundamental abilities:
Perceiving and identifying emotions
Thinking and reasoning using emotions
Understanding emotions and how they change
Regulating and managing emotions (yours as well as others)
However, since it's a complex and fluid concept, emotional intelligence isn't confined to these abilities.
Why is emotional intelligence important for students?
Emotional intelligence influences many parts of your life, from academic grades to job performance. When you can understand and manage your emotions effectively, you're more likely to score better grades and ace at university regarding your academic performance. Research has revealed that emotional intelligence is just as important as cognitive intelligence.
Emotional intelligence is vital for university students because it equips them to better deal with negative emotions that might disrupt their learning. For example, people with high emotional intelligence may:
Overcome exam stress quickly
Overcome boredom and maintain their concentration
Avoid obsessing over a disappointing grade
Recognize when they're experiencing anxiety and seek help
Not only this, but emotional intelligence can also help you build strong relationships with your peers and teachers. These connections can make a massive difference to your academic results.
Research also suggests that going to university with a solid emotional quotient can lead to better mental, social, and physical health.
How to develop your emotional intelligence?
The fact that you're actively thinking about your emotional intelligence and looking for ways to develop it further is a great signal that you're already on your way. But since emotional intelligence is a spectrum, there's always room for improvement and development.
The first step is to self-assess where your emotional intelligence is at already.
Assessing your emotional intelligence
Look at these critical signs of high Emotional Intelligence highlighted by Business Insider and see how many you can relate to or recognize in yourself:
You're curious about people and care about what they're going through.
You don't get offended easily (you can poke fun at yourself).
You can take criticism on board without making excuses or blaming others.
You're quick to forgive, and you don't hold grudges.
You're quick to apologize when you've made a mistake or wronged someone.
You know when to disconnect and how to do so (like going offline and taking a hike).
You're a good listener.
You're open-minded and slow to judge.
You can deal with toxic people without getting frustrated.
You don't sugar-coat the truth or shy away from tough conversations.
Raising your emotional quotient
Post-assessment, you need to work on the abilities you feel you do not have. Here are some tips on how to develop emotional intelligence -
Notice your feelings
Predict your emotions
Keep a diary
Channel emotions into creativity
See failures as opportunities
Practice active listening
Respond well to conflicts
Maintain a positive attitude
In his book, Harvey Deutschendorf explains why emotional intelligence is one of the fastest-growing job skills. Here are some reasons he listed as to why recruiters highly value candidates with high emotional intelligence:
They can handle pressure healthily
They understand and cooperate with others
They're good listeners
They're more open to feedback
They're empathetic
They set an example for others to follow
They make more thoughtful and thorough decisions
Emotional intelligence skills are the driving force for university graduates to be developed holistically. However, it might not be something that you can develop or alter overnight. Instead, it's an evolving skill that takes conscious effort to grow over the years.
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