One of the most important traits of really successful people is their high level of Emotional Intelligence. Daniel Goleman – the world renown expert on this field explains Emotional Intelligence can be defined as “the ability to identify and monitor emotions (of their own and of others)”. Since 1990 – when Goleman first published his best-selling book Emotional Intelligence (EI) – he has been writing, teaching, and consulting about Emotional Intelligence and has been able to spread the word all over the world. Fortunately, today the concept of Emotional Intelligence is known by most of companies, organizations, and professionals. Companies are taking emotional intelligence seriously (when hiring, developing and managing their professionals) because research has proved that the higher the level of Emotional Intelligence, the higher the performance.
But although most people know the concept of EI, also most people fail to realize on how to manage it. And in most of cases this failure is because most people don’t know exactly all the dimensions and competencies that this wide concept (EI) includes. Goleman, after 30 years working on this concept explains that Emotional Intelligence can be divided into 4 domains (Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Social Awareness and Relationship Management) and includes 12 competencies. 12 characteristics that differentiate average or poor performance to top performance. These are the following:
Self-Awareness domain:
1. Emotional self-awareness: the capacity to be aware of your own emotions. It allows you to know what you are feeling and why, as well as how those feelings help or hurt what you are trying to do.
Self-Management domain:
2. Emotional self-control: the ability to stay calm under pressure and recover quickly from upsets.
3. Adaptability: the agility in the face of change and uncertainty.
4. Achievement orientation: the strive to meet or exceed a standard of excellence. Constantly seeking ways to do things better.
5. Positive outlook: the ability to see the good in people, situations, and events.
Social Awareness domain:
6. Empathy: the ability to understand what other people are saying and how they are feeling. Basically explained, putting yourself in other people’s shoes.
7. Organizational awareness: the skill of being able to read the emotional dynamics within a group or organization.
Relationship Management domain:
8. Influence: the ability to influence other people, to make them change the way they think and/or the way they behave.
9. Coach and mentor: giving feedback and support to other people and motivate them to reach their objectives.
10. Conflict management: the ability to dealing with disagreements and turning them into win-win solutions.
11. Teamwork: the ability to work with other people as a team.
12. Inspirational leadership: the power of inspiring and guiding other people to follow the overall vision.
Besides, it is important to know that Emotional Intelligence can be developed. Although all of us have different talents, Emotional Intelligence can be learnt. In this way, it’s interesting that you really understand these 12 competencies and work hard to improve them. Because as Daniel Goleman says, “Emotional Intelligence accounts for 80% of career success”.
