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Understand non-verbal communication -

Having a high level of emotional intelligence allows you to better understand non-verbal communication. In many instances, this may allow you to handle a situation before it becomes a problem.

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Understand non-verbal communication -

For example, if you notice that your colleague is displaying non-verbal signs of stress or sadness, you may set some time aside to offer a listening ear.

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Be more self-aware of personal emotions -

Tapping into your emotional intelligence can help you be more aware of your own emotions. You can then adjust your behavior before it becomes an issue at work.

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Be more self-aware of personal emotions -

For example, if you had a rough night on a personal level, you may make the effort to shift your focus the next day towards something more positive.

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Drive efficiencies -

Being empathetic and taking time to properly understand other people’s emotions can actually drive efficiency and productivity.

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Drive efficiencies -

Having a level of emotional understanding makes it easier to make decisions, which in turn allows you and those around you to complete tasks more efficiently.

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Further your career -

Demonstrating emotional intelligence is a surefire way to advance your career. The truth of the matter is that EQ and leadership skills go hand in hand.

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Further your career -

The more occasions on which you can demonstrate patience, active listening, positivity, and empathy, the more quickly you are likely to advance to a leadership position.

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Encourage others -

An added benefit of having a high EQ level is that it can inspire others around you to improve their own interpersonal skills.

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Encourage others -

Emotions are contagious, and the more often you show your positivity and empathy, the more likely those around you are to follow.

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Identify your weaknesses -

If you are looking to improve your emotional intelligence, a great first place to start is to reflect on your emotional weaknesses.

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Identify your weaknesses -

For example, you may be great at comforting someone who has verbally expressed a negative emotion, but you may be less good at understanding non-verbal communication.

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Identify your weaknesses -

Be honest with yourself and remember that no one can be great at everything. Take the time to list your weaknesses, so you can identify areas for improvement.

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Review your emotional intelligence history -

As an extension of the previous point, it is a good idea to review your history of emotional intelligence. This involves looking at how you reacted to situations in the past.

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Review your emotional intelligence history -

Take a look back at your emails and text messages, and consider whether you could have responded to someone more empathetically.

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Review your emotional intelligence history -

Taking time to really reflect on your prior behavior can help you handle similar situations more effectively in the future.

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Receive feedback -

If you struggle to understand your emotional tendencies, it can be a good idea to ask your family and friends for feedback.

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Receive feedback -

People close to you will usually respond very candidly to this request, and the feedback they give you may well be quite revealing.

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Receive feedback -

Use the feedback you receive from family and friends to understand how others perceive you, and work out what you can do to make a positive change.

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Ask for help -

If you are looking to improve your emotional intelligence, you could do a lot worse than asking your manager or your mentor for their support.

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Ask for help -

You could explain that you are looking to improve your communication and leadership skills, and ask whether they have any tips for doing this.

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Ask for help -

There are many things your manager or mentor might suggest, and these could include attending a training seminar or participating in a work activity beneficial to the whole team.

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Practice daily -

Improving your emotional intelligence is a marathon, not a sprint, and it is important that you practice what you learn about EQ on a regular basis.

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Practice daily -

Some tasks might be solo tasks, such as watching yourself in the mirror to better understand your body language and facial expressions.

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Practice daily -

Other tasks may involve others. For example, you may make more effort to talk to people from various walks of life each day, in order to practice EQ in the real world.

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All in all -

Improving your emotional intelligence is a great way to advance your career and inspire others around you to do the same.

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Team effort -

Remember that emotional intelligence is for everyone, and that if even one person in the team has a low EQ level, it affects everyone.

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Up and down the ladder -

For that reason, people at all levels of seniority should make an effort to improve their EQ. From entry-level workers to managing directors, it’s everyone’s responsibility.

Sources: (Indeed) (Leaders)

See also: The best ways to show your work team you appreciate them

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