Habits for Emotional Intelligence

What is it that sets top performers apart from the rest of the pack? Emotional Intelligence (EQ). Yes, IQ is important; however, 80-90% of the capabilities that differentiate great leaders from good leaders are in the sphere of emotional intelligence. Clearly, EQ is worth our attention if we seek to both become and create top performers. The good news is that our EQ is malleable and through intentional practice, we can develop and strengthen our EQ.

EQ is essentially our ability to be aware of and manage our own emotions and behaviour, as well as our relationships with others. These capabilities are understandably difficult to measure which in turn makes it difficult to pinpoint what behaviours strengthen our EQ. TalentSmart have tested over a million people and analysed the data to identify the common habits of people with high-EQ. These eight habits for emotional intelligence are (you can read the full article here for an explanation of each):

1. They’re relentlessly positive.
2. They have a robust emotional vocabulary.
3. They’re assertive.
4. They’re curious about other people.
5. They forgive, but they don’t forget.
6. They won’t let anyone limit their joy.
7. They are difficult to offend.
8. They quash negative self-talk.

For those of us who are ‘list people’, there is our starting point. You can focus on all eight or you can start by focusing on just one or two. By being intentional about practicing these behaviours we can teach our brain to create new, emotionally intelligent pathways that allow these behaviours to turn into emotionally intelligent habits.

Specialist Contributor: Jolisa Rabo, HR Officer, Avondale University College