Search Inside Yourself: Post #3--Emotional Intelligence

Emotional Intelligence. The fathers of emotional intelligence (EI), John Mayer and Peter Salovey, define it this way: “The ability to monitor one’s own and others’ feelings and emotions, to discriminate among them and to use this information to guide one’s thinking and actions…” Further, Daniel Goleman later popularized emotional intelligence by adding a useful structure to EI: Self Awareness, Self–Regulation, Motivation, Empathy, and Social Skills. 

a.    Self-Awareness. Goleman identified three elements of self-awareness: 1) Emotional awareness—understanding the effects of emotions on yourself. 2) Self-assessment—understanding your strengths and challenges. 3) Self-confidence—understanding your self-worth.

b.    Self-Mastery. Goleman identified five elements: 1) Self-control—keeping emotions in control; 2) Trustworthiness—being honest and having integrity; 3) Conscientiousness—being responsible for our actions; 4) Adaptability—handling change well; and, 5) Innovation—initiating change.