Key points about emotional intelligence

So why is it important that we understand emotional intelligence? Are there different types of emotional intelligence? Is there a difference between men and women or between people of different ages or between people who do different types of jobs? The key information summarized below is the result of many studies, documented in books, research articles, and case studies over the past twenty years.

Emotional intelligence can be learned and developed

Now there are a variety of different ways to teach and learn about emotional intelligence. Whatever your current level, with the right support, activities and commitment, you can improve it. Unlike your cognitive (IQ) intelligence, which peaks around the age of seventeen and remains constant for most of your life until it declines in old age, your emotional intelligence can be improved at any age in life. lifetime.

Increases with life experience

Research by Dr. Reuven Bar-On, using the Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i), confirms that emotional intelligence increases with age, peaks in the age group of forty to forty-nine, and then is levels. This could mean that, after age forty-nine, few new experiences add to or enhance our emotional intelligence. However, I prefer to think that learning about ourselves is a lifelong endeavor. Research using the Multifactorial Emotional Intelligence Scale (MEIS) also suggests that it improves with age, increasing between adolescence and early adulthood.

Everyone’s needs are different

We all live among other people – in our family, community or place or work – and being able to understand, interpret and use the emotional content of life is useful for everyone. However, different jobs may require different levels and aspects of emotional intelligence; For example, if you work in a job that involves a high degree of contact with other people, you may need a greater ability to handle emotions (to deal with storms), whereas if you are a counselor, you may need a greater ability to understand their own emotions.

There are some differences between men and women.

When the Reuven Bar-On Emotional Quotient Inventory was used in a study of 7,700 men and women, it was found that, although there were no differences between men and women in the total EQ (or Emotional Quotient), women obtained higher scores. high in the three interpersonal skills (empathy, interpersonal relationship and social responsibility). Men scored higher on interpersonal dimensions (eg, self-actualization, assertiveness), stress management (stress tolerance, impulse control), and adaptability (eg, reality check, problem solving). According to Dr. Bar-On, “women are more aware of emotions, show more empathy, relate better interpersonally and act with more social responsibility than men. On the other hand, men seem to have better self-esteem, they are more independent, they cope better with stress, they are more flexible, they solve problems better and they are more optimistic than women. “

Being emotionally intelligent adds to your general intelligence

Whether you’re being systematic about grocery shopping, or organizing to set and achieve a business plan, or even your life goals, you need a good IQ. (intelligence quotient). When solving a problem, being realistic about what can be accomplished takes some practical knowledge. Focusing on emotional intelligence doesn’t mean discarding the guidelines and structures you learned long ago to help organize your daily life. Awareness of the emotional aspects of what is happening will add to skills measured by IQ. As the psychologist David Wechsler put it in 1940, individuals with identical IQs can differ greatly in their effective ability to cope with their environment.

‘Emotional intelligence’ is not an oxymoron

An oxymoron is a word or phrase that brings together two contradictory ideas (such as ‘bittersweet’, ‘living death’). Within what might seem like a contradiction, ’emotional intelligence’, lies the depth of the concept of EI: it involves both the process of becoming emotions (sometimes considered ‘soft’ things) and the need to be analytical about emotions and learn new skills in a ‘hard’ analytical way. Since 1990, when John Mayer and Peter Salovey coined the term ’emotional intelligence’, their work and that of David Caruso have highlighted this important combination of thinking and feeling. Both are necessary to make good decisions.

The hard science behind it

The fields of neurology, medicine, and psychology have contributed and added to our understanding of emotions and the role of emotions in keeping us healthy;

It affects our ability to make decisions.

We make most of our decisions through our emotions, believe it or not. Therefore, it is useful for making good decisions.

Reflected in relationships

This is the area where people with emotional intelligence are generally observed closely: they tend to enjoy close relationships and are comfortable with themselves and with others.

Measurable

There have been numerous studies that show that a focus on emotional intelligence has benefits for health, business success, and relationships. Particularly helpful are the case studies documented by HeartMath Europe. The benefits they found include reduced blood pressure, higher levels of personal productivity and team effectiveness, and these benefits are sustained six months after people learn the techniques.