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When discussing intelligence, the majority of people will be familiar with the term IQ: the intelligence quotient used to assess human intelligence; yet rarely do we discuss EQ and its importance of value to us in our working lives. For those unfamiliar with the term, EQ is defined as emotional intelligence: the ability to read both personal emotions, in addition to recognising emotions portrayed by others and finding an appropriate response in reaction to signals given.  EQ is employed around the clock without us even recognising what we have the ability to do, for example sympathising about a difficult situation with someone we know, the ability to wait patiently or even the ability to control our own emotions in heated situations.

However, while most of us are able to apply our EQ naturally to any situation at hand, some people may find it difficult to do so, unable to read other’s emotions and therefore respond in a suitable manner, or even unable to keep their temper at bay, causing outbursts and tension between family, friends, in the classroom or office to name but a few. While IQ is considered important, EQ is considered far superior to most in order to gain success in one’s career and personal life, which leads us to question what EQ is made up of, and methods of improving EQ in order to gain further success in life.

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According to research, there are five categories of Emotional Intelligence:

1. Self-awareness: the ability to tune into your own emotions as they occur, recognising the effects your emotions have, in addition to reassurance about your self-worth and capabilities.


2. Self-regulation: being able to control your negative feelings when they occur, such as controlling your temper in a heated situation or finding ways of alleviating depression and anxiety.


3. Motivation: While some people are naturally born more negative or positive, we do have the ability to control our outlook on life, and having a positive attitude and clear goals may help motivate towards success. Motivation may come from within, taking the chance to make the most of opportunities that are given, as well as continuing to persevere even when setbacks occur.


4. Empathy: recognising other’s emotions is an important branch of being able to achieve success in both your personal and work life. Understanding empathy will lead to a better ability of anticipating clients’ needs and acting on them, reading power relationships as well as feeling the wants and needs of others and being able to meet them.


5. Social Skills: Having people skills is paramount to success. Nowadays with our tech-obsessed lifestyle, companies are beginning to recognise the importance of human contact to drive success in a business, and those able to interact with others easily in all situations leads to a level of teambuilding, collaboration and influence which is paramount to success.

As we begin to recognise what it is that makes up the segmentations of Emotional Intelligence, we can begin to focus on those areas which we may lack in, taking new opportunities to build on our capabilities in order to become more successful. Whether at work or in personal life, it is important to keep trying in order to develop those skills and achieve what you want to achieve. Perhaps the next time you are invited to that social occasion where you only know one person, you’ll take a chance to meet new people, gaining the confidence necessary to help you grow as a person, or maybe you’ll work harder on reaching your personal goals. Whatever it may be, it is better to work small towards a goal rather than bury your head in the sand!

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