Emotional Intelligence: How it is structured and the importance of its development in today's world.
- 2018
"Anyone can become angry, that is very simple. But getting angry at the right person, to the exact extent, at the right time, for the right purpose and in the right way, that, certainly, is not so simple. ”
Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics.
We are emotional beings . Our experiences are structured from the sentimental judgments we make from the perceptions we print of the world. To the point that it is useless to try to abstract the emotions of any thought.
In recent times, psychology has begun to notice this fact. And little by little, it has begun to talk about a new type of intelligence. The so-called Emotional Intelligence .
From here, emotions are recognized as an intrinsic part of the human being. These are present and affect all areas of our life.
So much so that a new professional appreciation of emotional intelligence is born. In fact, it comes to occupy a level of importance greater than the IQ on the road to success.
But this kind of intelligence has surfaced relatively recently.
What qualities does it have, and how can it benefit us?
What is emotional intelligence
The term Emotional Intelligence, although it had already been used before, was popularized by Daniel Goleman in 1995. This American psychologist wrote a work entitled " Emotional Intelligence ", establishing the relationship between reason and feelings . He says in his book that emotional centers are located in a portion of the brain that is the most primitive: the brainstem . After millions of years, it evolves giving rise to the thinking part of the brain: the neocortex .
He then says: " The fact that the emotional brain is much earlier than the rational one and that this is a derivation of it, clearly reveals the authentic relationships between thought and feeling ."
For those interested, you can download this book from here.
Thought and feeling cannot then be separated, and a new need appears to develop the skills of mature emotional intelligence . This will help us understand and empathize with other people.
Five types of emotional intelligence
Within what we call Emotional Intelligence we can name five types, or spheres . These are ordered sequentially, going from the most basic to the most complex. In each of them, in turn, different specific skills are developed.
Let's see what they are.
1. Self-awareness
This is the first sphere of emotional intelligence . Self- awareness is the ability to recognize an emotion as it presents itself. It is the first step to develop this intelligence. Growing in self-awareness requires an approach to feelings. If we get used to assess our emotions, we can eventually manage them.
In emotional self-consciousness, emotional awareness participates, which is the ability to recognize our own emotions. Self-confidence is also important, based on self-confidence, our value and capabilities.
2. Self-regulation
The second sphere of emotional intelligence tells us that we often have little control over when we experience emotions. But we can decide how long the emotion lasts using a number of techniques to relieve emotions such as anger, anxiety and / or depression.
Examples of these techniques can be to recreate the situation in our head but with a more positive light, go for a walk, meditation or pray.
Our self-control participates in self- regulation, which helps us manage our impulses. Also the integrity to maintain our standards of desired emotions. It will also be necessary to be responsible for our actions. And also our ability to adapt and be open to new exercises.
3. Motivation
The third sphere of emotional intelligence is motivation, the direct result of clear goals. In addition, it is necessary to learn to think more positively through practice and effort. The negative thoughts must be recontextualized in more positive terms as they appear.
Motivation is the constant search to improve and achieve the standards of excellence. In addition, the commitment to the goals that are group, and initiative to be ready to act as soon as the opportunities arise. Finally, optimism will make us pursue goals relentlessly despite obstacles and stumbling blocks.
4. Empathy
This is the fourth sphere of emotional intelligence, and one of the most controversial. Empathy consists of the ability to recognize feelings in other people. The more skilled you are in discovering the emotions behind the signals of others, the more control you will have over the signals you send them .
In empathy, in general, service orientation can be noted, anticipating, recognizing and solving the needs of others. In turn, there is the perception of what they need to further develop their skills. In addition, the political conscience also participates, allowing to read the power relations in the group.
You may ultimately perceive the feelings behind the needs and desires of others.
5. Social skills
The fifth and last sphere of emotional intelligence . The development of good interpersonal skills is very important to achieve success in your life and your future. In a world that has been completely and constantly connected, technical knowledge is available to everyone. Therefore, interpersonal skills are increasingly important. You must have high emotional intelligence for greater understanding, empathy and negotiation with others.
In social skills, influence participates as an ability to effectively manage persuasion tactics. Also the communication to be able to send clear messages. Leadership leads us to inspire and guide groups and people. In addition, conflict management will be important to us, understanding and resolving disagreements.
The importance of emotional intelligence
We have seen then what are the reach that emotional intelligence has. This type of intelligence, like any other, can be trained. We will need to begin to become aware of the emotions that awaken within us. Most psychologists agree that in the search for realization in our lives, the IQ only meets a minimum percentage .
Then, emotional intelligence will not only give us a broader horizon in our personal lives, but it can become a true competitive advantage.
We must get in touch with our emotions. Rediscover them, since they participate in each and every one of our thoughts.
It is a trip that is worth embarking on, and that can lead us to build a society with more skills to put ourselves in the place of the other.
Finding ourselves, as the emotional beings we are. And decide which emotions we want to last in our lives, and which ones do not.
Again, the key is to start knowing ourselves.
AUTHOR: Lucas, editor in the big family of hermandadblanca.org
SOURCES:
- “Emotional Intelligence” Daniel Goleman
- https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emocional_Inteligencia_emocional
- https://www.universidadviu.es/los-distintos-tipos-de-inteligencia-emocional/
