respond, don't react
We don't need to overthink Emotional Intelligence (or EQ). It's our ability to manage our emotions, especially when things don't go as planned.
It starts with being aware of what is happening around us, including what might be happening within us. When our boss asks us to prepare 10 slides for an upcoming presentation, and then our time slot is erased because others waffled on for too long, it stings. In that moment we might even feel a roller-coaster of emotions, potentially including frustration, anger, or maybe even relief. In those moments, that's when emotional intelligence pays dividends! We're able to see the situation from a place of calm maturity and that is emotional intelligence. We take a breath, we pause, we separate the situation from our emotions.
EQ is our ability to be aware of what is around us, understand it, manage it, and then use those emotions in a constructive way. We don't lose our cool, and we might actually use the moment to our advantage.
elements of EQ
self-awareness
One of the very first aspects of improving anything to do with our mental health, is about first being aware of the moment and how it is impacting us. Being self-aware allows us to understand where we are, what's happening within us, and what we need to keep moving forward. You can't really move forward if you don't know what is bothering you. And as soon as you get that sense of what is actually happening, you can make a plan for how to respond. There are some great tools to use to build that self-awareness.
relationships
It can be easy to lose our cool if something doesn't go our way, especially when we feel we are being personally attacked by another. As human beings we are programmed to defend our position. Most of the time, we'd rather be right and the project fail, than be wrong and the project succeed. We must destroy that inner programming to focus on doing the right thing, with ourselves and also with others. Relationships are formed and broken in moments of trust, and trust is built on a foundation of strong communication.
self-management
We make plenty of decisions daily. Some are major, and some are micro-moments that we don't pay much attention to (such as which hand I will use to open the door). Most of the small decisions we make are mindless, but we may also be guilty of bringing that mindlessness to bigger items too. That affects our ability to stay in control. Self-management is about recognizing that the only thing that is ever really in our control is how we respond. But if we always base our responses on instinct, we tend to lose control of that as well.
social awareness
Marketing professionals are obsessed with the customer experience - thinking constantly about what is happening in the world of the customer. We plan journey maps and discuss at length what might be happening in that person's world when they choose to engage with us. We're aware of their needs, we imagine their thoughts, we think about their environment. We're aware of their surroundings. We need to build that social awareness into our own lives and our own environment. Analyze what is around us.
quick guide: these ideas wrapped up
Emotional intelligence is a valuable skill set across many aspects of marketing, including how we manage personal relationships and even approach leadership, teamwork, customer relations, and stress management. It can (and will) impact different elements of our performance, such as the way we make decisions, to how we manage conflict. High emotional intelligence can lead to better job performance, leadership effectiveness, and overall success in careers. Find out how you can measure and build your EQ.
