What differentiates a good leader from a great one? What makes some people such a pleasure to work with? What makes some teams so successful than others? It’s not just IQ or industry knowledge that makes people great at their jobs. It all of those factors combined, mixed in with a generous dose of emotional intelligence. So, what is emotional intelligence? And, how emotionally intelligent are you?
Emotional intelligence (EQ) is defined as the capacity to be aware of, control, and express one’s emotions, and to handle interpersonal relationships judiciously and empathetically. Hubspot employee Corey Eridon shares a handful pf signs of emotionally intelligent people:
- An emotionally intelligent person is curious. Do you always seem to have questions? When someone speaks of a new concept, do you seem to have engaging follow-up questions? Do you have musings and the urge to find out answers? It’s amazing that you have these questions because curiosity is an expression of interest and emotionally intelligent people find interests in diverse avenues.
- An emotionally intelligent person is self-aware. What are your weaknesses? How do you compensate for them? Do you ask for help when you need it? When you answer yes to these questions, know that you just bumped up on the EQ scale because of your ability to honestly evaluate yourself and seek assistance in areas that aren’t your strengths.
- An emotionally intelligent person is self-motivated. If you find yourself feeling rewarded more by your own goals and interests rather than outside stimuli — recognition, bonuses, promotions; if you have a bigger-picture outlook and can handle disappointment and negative outcomes well, you’re in that league of people who are the go-getters, the ones who get things done not because they are told to, but because they want to.
- An emotionally intelligent person is empathetic. Emotionally intelligent people are empathetic, and it’s a skill everyone should strive to develop. Think about an instance in which you had to deal with someone difficult, angry, or just plain wrong. If you were able to find common ground with that person, you might be a highly empathetic person and this quality of your personality will help you to be a great team player and leader.
Remember, the wonderful thing about being emotionally intelligent is that no one is perfect at it and everyone can be better at it. So, find out where you need to develop and watch yourself grow into a highly emotionally intelligent leader!
For the full story, refer to: http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/signs-of-emotionally-intelligent-person-test
Thanks for reading and until next time… stay WISE!