Emotional Intelligence Revisited

I have written before about emotional intelligence (E.I.) One blog focused on the importance of E.I in an interview, in achieving satisfaction in the workplace, and even in enhancing our personal lives. Here is the link to my August 2022 blog: https://philkimmiconsulting.com/how-can-emotional-intelligence-skills-help-when-interviewing/
As I work with job-seeking clients and with pageant contenders, I continue to hear how emotional intelligence continues to be a crucial part in the screening process of interviewing. It is a key factor in competition and ultimately in getting the job.

Employers are using Behavioral-Situational questions in screening candidates. It is important to have a list of work and personal situations that you can use to illustrate various experiences you have successfully worked through. These scenarios become the cornerstone in highlighting your thinking, behavior, and personal insights. I always recommend my clients think back through positive and negative situations they have encountered. You will use your list and adapt your responses to the context of the interviewer’s questions.

At its core, emotional intelligence is a set of various skills and behaviors. Some individuals will have natural E.I. aptitudes and others may need to learn or enhance these skills. To review, the four main components of E.I are:

• Self-Awareness – the ability to identify and understand your own emotions and the impact it has on others;
• Self-Regulation – the ability to manage emotions and behaviors and keep disruptive emotions under control;
• Social Awareness – the ability to understand the emotions of others (empathy);
• Social Skills – the skills that include influence, conflict management, teamwork, and the ability to inspire others;

If you are taking stock of your own personal E.I. proficiencies, it is important to understand that it is an on-going process. Everyone is different, but experts report that certain actions may lead you to better insights:
• Be aware of your emotions – The ability to name your feelings and temper your reactivity is key.
• Ask for feedback – Audit your self-perception by asking managers, colleagues, friends and family about their experience of your E.I.

Once you feel an awareness of your own E.I. behaviors, it is a key opportunity to model those aspects to others. Influencing others to adopt emotionally intelligent behavior can be done by recognizing it and encouraging the behavior. With these skills you can help build your own culture!