Did you know that two-thirds of all people are controlled by their emotions? Those same people are not yet skilled at spotting their emotions and using that awareness to their benefit. As a result, they become very reactive and emotionally volatile. When you think about the fact that emotional awareness and understanding isn’t taught in grade school that ratio really isn’t as surprising. Based on human design our brain is wired to give our emotions more attention than our logic. As a result, we experience things emotionally before our reasoning mind can kick-in and give us the time that we need to respond appropriately. This is the difference between responding out of emotion and reacting out of logic.
While it is important to know your purpose, develop a strong work-ethic, and improve your IQ, your emotional intelligence, also known as EQ is also an important skill that impacts everything you say and do on a daily basis. So much so that it accounts for over 50 percent of performance in all types of jobs. EQ has also become the single biggest predictor of performance in the workplace and the strongest driver of leadership and personal excellence. Studies show that people with high EQs make an average of $29,000 USD more per year than people with low EQs. The link between EQ and earning potential is so directly correlated that for every one point increase in your EQ it adds approximately $1,300 USD to your annual salary. This relationship holds true for people in all industries, at all levels, in every region around the world regardless of race, background, or education.
That leads me to this point….The communication between your emotional and rational brain is the physical storehouse of emotional intelligence. While your vision and fresh and creative ideas are critical aspects of success, expanding research shows that EQ is an incredibly important skill for effective leadership, success, and financial increase. If you truly want to succeed in both your professional and personal life then there is a broad range of skills that you’ll need to develop. For those of us that continue to be impacted by the global recession and rising inflation is it imperative that we learn to maximize our EQ skills so we can get to the money bags. As a Mindset Coach it is my goal to see you WIN! In alignment with that goal I have included below the top five ways you can boost your emotional intelligence, be successful, and make more money.
1. Increase Your Self-Awareness
Great leaders make themselves and their personal improvement a lifelong project. They actively seek out people who will tell them the truth about how they come across to others and areas where they can make improvements. They look for organizations that will accommodate them or spend money on a coach who will provide them with honest feedback. Great leaders recognize that they are a work-in-progress and are always looking for ways to improve. Taking the initiative to gain a better understanding and awareness of yourself helps you identify emotional triggers, gain control of your attitude and impulsiveness, and make better decisions. In a basic sense, having a higher sense of self-awareness makes you easier to understand, improves your decision making process, makes you more enjoyable to build & work with, and a better all-around person to be around or in a relationship with.
2. Develop Your Listening Skills
God gave us two ears to listen and one mouth the speak for a reason. Good leaders are always aware of how essential listening skills are for success. They seek first to understand and then to be understood. They recognize that everyone has the desire to be heard but not everyone has an equal desire to listen. Not only do you receive more crucial information when you develop your listening skills but you are better able to connect with others by picking up meanings and messages through nonverbal cues. Improving your listening skills creates space for others to speak authentically, uninterrupted, and openly about their thoughts, feelings, desires, and fears. Allowing people around you that type of security is how you set yourself up as the go-to person for advice, leadership, or an unbiased and trusted opinion. You’ll be surprised at just how much clarity you can gain by listening and allowing others to simply “get it out”. Depending on your lifestyle, profession or position, strengthening your listening skills can make you a more favorable choice for responsibility, leadership, or input. Each of those elements creates opportunity for you to shine and be successful.
3. Show a Genuine Interest in Others
Anyone that knows me knows that I am terrible with names. It is probably one of my weakest areas in the process of relationship building. For some people forgetting their name can seem like a lack of respect or importance and result in a triggering event. People with high EQ try to take this into consideration. Not only do emotionally intelligent people learn the names of everyone that works on their team or at their company, but they also make it a point to find out as much about others as possible. Growing up I was taught that everybody has a special button. It can be family, opportunity, sports, money, women, men, children, travel, or a special hobby. Regardless of what it may be, people with high EQ strive to find out what matters to others. Showing a personal interest in those around you show others that they are valued as people, rather than just a means to an end or an unimportant replaceable cog in the machine. Remember, your network determines your net worth. Be mindful not to make others feel expendable or less important by not taking an active interest in what makes them tick, brings them joy, or what makes them special.
4. Develop Your Ability to Manage Emotions
Before we can focus on managing our mouth we first have to discuss managing our emotions. Developing your ability to manage not only yours but other’s emotions is an important skill to have. Leaders that possess high emotional intelligence can process information and respond only after they’ve thought about the situation. As mentioned above, it’s the difference between responding and reacting. Emotionally intelligent people can pick up the underlying feelings behind the words spoken. They also have the ability to make on the fly adjustments to the emotional energy of others to help bring value, solution, or comfort to the conversation, circumstance or situation. Take a moment to schedule an introductory mindset coaching session to learn more about a technique to manage emotion called, “Name it to tame it!” It will help you to accurately identify each emotion by naming it out loud. After that you are able to respond appropriately with a response that aligns with the emotion. For example, responding to the emotion of disappointment with clear verbal or non-verbal communication instead of misplaced anger or personal disrespect. Doing this will help you develop more authentic relationships, stand up for yourself, and be more effective when expressing your emotions with others.
5. Develop a Strong Sense of Appreciation
Regardless of your profession, age, or background having an attitude of gratitude is key to success. Great leaders, with high emotional intelligence, are always appreciative and aware that they have others to thank for them to be where they are. One technique that I recommend to help you develop more gratitude is to keep a gratitude journal and write down three things you are grateful for every day. Doing so will help you maintain a positive attitude and high degree of motivation throughout the day. Being appreciative of each person, experience, situation, and circumstance will keep you in a constant state of gratitude and keep you present in the current moment. Being present in the moment reduces anxiety and depression and helps to regulate your mood. Showing appreciation for the good and bad, big or small, gives you balance and helps to open your mind to accepting all outcomes as lessons instead of setbacks or failures.
High emotional intelligence is an essential aspect of happiness, higher income earning potential, and success. By incorporating these five tips into your life you will be sure to boost your emotional intelligence, improve your self-awareness, strengthen your relationships, and make more money.
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