8 Sure Fire Ways to Improve Emotional Intelligence

Most employers are transparent enough to share what they look for potential talents. Apart from hard skills, they evaluate one’s emotional intelligence. In fact, the EQ has now a heavier influence if an applicant will be hired or not. And so a lot of people are now asking, how can we boost our emotional quotient? 

Look no further as we have eight ways that can help you. This way, you have higher chances of landing on your dream job.   

1. Know Yourself

Remember, different people have different behaviors because our experiences in life are not equal. You cannot expect them to have the same perception, and this can often cause disagreements. So one of the first steps to be emotionally intelligent is to be self – aware and to practice empathy. 

This means you need to understand your natural responses to different things. Do you easily get mad? Are you impatient? Are you overly sensitive? Ask as many questions and try to assess your personality. At the same time, know your triggers that can instantly heighten your emotions. By learning yourself further, you become cautious when reacting. 

In effect, it makes you more empathic towards other people because you will realize that we all have our own shortcomings. 

2. Avoid Reacting Immediately 

An emotionally intelligent person does not react to things right away. But instead, they think of a proper response. That way, no one will feel offended, even if the situation is already piping hot. 

Perhaps you are also guilty that we tend to say things that we don’t mean when we are mad. And that’s what we have to avoid, be it in school, work, or personal lives.  

3. Be More Assertive 

A lot of times, we tend to be aggressive to get our message across. But in reality, it’s not effective and can even cause a further dent on relationships. The best approach is to be assertive. This means you have to be rational with the words you use. In addition, you must level your emotions, and provide facts instead of unsubstantiated opinions. 

You can practice this not just in the workplace but in our everyday lives. For example, someone cuts the line. You don’t have to shout and make a scene. But instead, approach the person calmly and remind them that there is a queue to follow.  

4. Improve Listening Skills 

One of the soft skills that most people do not give importance to is listening. We’ve seen a lot of trainings for speaking but not so much for listening alone. However, it’s a crucial ingredient to become emotionally intelligent. 

It is only when you listen that you can respond accordingly. And this is not limited to the words we hear. You must also observe the tone and the behavior of the person you are talking to. These non-verbal forms of communication will help you understand the person better. 

5. Maintain Positive Disposition 

Being positive doesn’t mean that you conceal unfortunate events. Because in reality, these things happen. But having a positive disposition means that you focus more on the possible solutions instead of the problem. You acknowledge that there is something wrong, but you do not let it consume you. Instead, you try to find ways on how to resolve this. You see, people who get stressed quickly with problems tend to become illogical. And thus, couldn’t solve issues efficiently.  

Remember, a problem is called a problem because there is always a solution. This is beneficial, most especially in the corporate world. When you work, there will be a lot of challenges, both internal and external. And having a high emotional quotient can help you face it the best way possible.    

6. Accept Criticisms

Another trait of a person with high EQ is that they welcome constructive criticisms. They don’t take this personally, but they use it to improve themselves. 

As human beings, we are a work in progress. And if we don’t welcome suggestions and other ideas that can help us, then we will stop growing.  

7. Lead a Group 

If you want to improve your emotional intelligence, do not be afraid to lead. We suggest organizing small events. It could be for charity or a small gathering for your families and friends. Take over and see how well you can put things in order. 

Do not be upset if things don’t go perfectly. It’s bound to be like that, most especially on the onset. Let it be and practice resiliency. Simultaneously, this will shape you to become more resourceful as you are urged to solve the issues right away.  

8. Be More Sociable 

Lastly, we recommend that you meet more people from different walks of life. Expose yourself to different characters. Naturally, you will adapt based on the circumstance. This can contribute to your emotional intelligence, and you will see significant improvements on how you perceive and respond to things.