GREENSBORO, N.C. — October is Emotional Intelligence Awareness Month. We hear it's important to have emotional intelligence, but what is it, and how can it help us?
Emotional intelligence is the ability to identify, use and manage emotions in yourself and others. Use emotional management in positive ways to bring out the best in yourself and others.
One reason to have strong emotional intelligence is to guide your decision-making process.
People generally make decisions based on emotions. If you're unable to manage emotions, you might make unhealthy decisions because of how you're feeling at the moment. If it isn't a sound decision, then you might regret it.
If you have strong EQ skills, you're better able to help people manage emotional difficulties, build strong teams, create positive relationships and manage interpersonal conflict. When your team feels seen and heard, they feel more valued and are more likely to work more efficiently and continue to work at the company.
Children can be taught emotional intelligence. You can teach children to identify various emotions. What it looks like, sounds like, and feels like. You can teach children how to manage strong emotions like excitement and anger. You can teach children how to relax when they feel anxious, upset, or stressed. Teach children the steps to solve interpersonal problems effectively.
Children can also learn emotional intelligence through their life experiences and over time. They can see the impact of their emotions and decisions on others. For example, they can see what happens when they share vs. when they take something from another child. Teens see what happens when they jump to conclusions instead of listening to their friend's explanations.
Parents play a pivotal role in developing emotional intelligence in their children.
Parents model emotional intelligence or lack thereof, whether they realize it or not. Children are watching their parents handle their emotions and how they interact with others. Additionally, parents can teach their children effective ways to regulate their emotions and disagreements with friends and teachers.
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