Controlling Our Emotions

When we talk about the intellect, it is common to imagine that any type of intelligence is related to the Intellectual Quotient. However, Emotional Intelligence is much more than cognitive abilities.

This concept includes all the psychological abilities and their capacities related to feelings, control, understanding, and the modification of emotions. It is a term coined by Howard Gardner in 1983.

How Does Being Emotionally Intelligent Affect Us?

We acquire a better knowledge of our own emotions, identify the emotions of others, develop the ability to control our own emotions, prevent the damaging effects of negative emotions, develop the ability to generate positive emotions, develop greater emotional competence, develop the ability to self-motivate, adopt a positive attitude towards life, learn to flow, develop the ability to control stress, become aware of the factors that induce subjective well-being, enhance the ability to be happy, develop a sense of humor, develop resistance to frustration, increase our social skills and satisfactory interpersonal relationships, decrease self-destructive thoughts, improve academic performance, improve school (and social and family adaptation), and helps reduce anxiety and stress.

Thanks to proper training we can modify our mood and even that of those around us and thus improve our social relationships. When we are aware of our feelings and try to understand them, we are able to understand the attitudes and behaviors of others. We can empathize with them and their circumstances and help to manage their own emotions. And in this way, future conflicts and possible disputes can be prevented.

Also read: THE KEY TO WELLNESS AND LONGEVITY

If we control our emotions, we will be able to deal effectively with the obstacles that arise, to motivate ourselves and motivate others, be more persistent and tenacious in achieving our goals, increase our tolerance for frustration when things do not go well, and avoid those emotions such as anxiety, sadness and anger block or incapacitate us.

Leadership: Empathy and Organizational Awareness Make Up Social Awareness

There are many models of emotional intelligence: Emotional self-control, adaptability, achievement orientation, and a positive outlook fall under self-management. 

Empathy and organizational awareness make up social awareness. Relationship management includes influence, coaching and mentoring, conflict management, teamwork, and inspirational leadership. Leaders need to develop a balance of strengths across these competencies. 

As President of Yale University, Peter Salovey, once said: "I believe the next decade will see well-conducted research showing that emotional skills and competencies predict positive outcomes at home, at school, and at work. The real challenge is to show that Emotional Intelligence matters more than psychological constructs that have been measured for decades such as personality or Intellectual Quotient."