In a recent blog post on emotional intelligence, I feel we merely dipped our toes into the water of a much larger conversation. And honestly, it was for an excellent and calculated reason — to promote a baseline understanding of what emotional intelligence is, why it’s one of the most sought-after interpersonal skills in business and life, how it stresses perception and expression and, most importantly, is this something anyone can learn?
We answered those and other questions. So please click here to read it. From this moment forward, we’re going to dig deeper into emotional intelligence so that you better understand how it is intertwined with communication and the confidence we should all have in our communication skills.
The Bar-On EQ-i™ Method
When measuring someone’s emotional intelligence, the model I’m most familiar with is the Bar-On EQ-i™ Method. Renowned psychologist Reuven Bar-on created this method, and what makes his approach so appealing is that he focuses much of his attention on the impact emotional intelligence can have on an individual’s overall well-being.
When you look at his model, five composite areas collectively comprise emotional intelligence:
- Self-perception
- Self-expression
- Interpersonal
- Decision-making
- Stress management
What I love about these composite areas is that they build off each other. There is a natural flow from one to the other.
When we have strong self-perception, we understand our strengths, weaknesses, and emotional framework. Furthermore, we have a pronounced desire to improve — to be a better version of ourselves tomorrow than we were today. And if we have strong self-perception, the chances are high that we will also be good at authentic self-expression.
Those who express themselves effectively can be assertive without being aggressive. They also don’t let their emotions hold them hostage. As a result, they likely have strong interpersonal skills. They’re the type of person people want to be around and work with in groups and teams. And when they have these relationships set in stone, they ultimately make better decisions.
And when we feel comfortable with our decisions, we naturally manage stress better.
Start By Understanding Ourselves
As we understand ourselves and our own emotional intelligence, we become more comfortable with our ability to communicate.
- We recognize how we feel and how others do, too
- We can stand up for ourselves without trampling on the emotions of others
- We speak with more conviction in our voice and in our word choices
- We promote hope and optimism rather than anger and negativity
- We take on a democratic and more inclusive leadership style
- We understand how emotions impact whatever situation we’re in
- We become more engaged and comfortable socially
- We show more empathy and compassion
- We avoid having feelings or emotions hijack the decision-making process
- We can manage the impact of our emotions on our relationships
The good news is that we can improve our emotional intelligence and communication skills by recognizing the areas we want to strengthen and investing in ourselves by seeking training and guidance. As we see ourselves improving over time, our self-esteem will naturally increase, and all other aspects of emotional intelligence will also improve.
The Business World Demands More Emotional Intelligence and Effective Communication
Whether you are an organizational leader or an employee working your way up the corporate ladder, business success depends on having high emotional intelligence and delivering the right message in the right manner at all times. The good news is that this can be learned with practice. TalkMeUp is an innovative, one-of-a-kind software that profoundly addresses these needs and related shortcomings by leveraging AI for instant measurement, analysis, reporting, tracking, scaling, and more.
Click here to register for my webinar Communicating with Emotional Intelligence at Work on December 14 at 12:00pm Eastern.
About the Author
Ron Placone, Ph.D., is an Associate Teaching Professor of Business Management Communication and the Former Faculty Lead and Interim Executive Director for the Accelerate Leadership Center at the Tepper School of Business. Ron teaches a range of communication courses and leadership programs for Tepper students. Ron’s research interests include civility in discourse and fostering individual and team creativity. Previously at Carnegie Mellon, Ron was the Assistant Vice President for Learning & Development. Before joining Carnegie Mellon in 1999, Ron was Vice President and Director of Organizational Development and Communications for Mellon Network Services. Ron has been a consultant, leadership, and communication coach for numerous executives and corporate and not-for-profit organizations. He has consulted in health care, financial services, education, technology, and energy sectors. Ron has a Ph.D. in Rhetoric-English from Carnegie Mellon University.
