learn and re-invent

Lately I’ve been reading

Emotional intelligence is often the characteristic that people over-rate themselves on most. It involves four components:

1. Self-awareness – the ability to read one’s emotions and recognize their impact while using gut feelings to guide decisions.
2. Self-management – involves controlling one’s emotions and impulses and adapting to changing circumstances.
3. Social awareness – the ability to sense, understand, and react to others’ emotions while comprehending social networks.
4. Relationship management – the ability to inspire, influence, and develop others while managing conflict.

Every body is composed of an IQ, EQ, and Personality (imagine a venn-diagram). While historical researchers believed that IQ was the indicating factor of a person’s success, an array of modern research has in fact proven otherwise. Research conducted at a top business school show that 90% of high performers are also high in EQ while only 20% of low performers are high in EQ. People with high EQs have also been found to earn more money - an average of $29,000 more per year than people with low EQ. The direct link averages out to $1,300 for every additional point of EQ. Studies have also been performed on Fortune 500 CEOs and found that while high IQ managers tend to rise to CEO positions, it is the high EQ CEOs that stay more than 2-3 years in that chief position as opposed to lower EQ CEOs that resign in a few years.

Unlike Personality and IQ, EQ is a skill and not a genetic, hard-coded attribute. However, EQ shouldn’t be improved to earn more money or rise to a higher level of power (well, I suppose you can if that’s your intention). Emotional control and well-being should be practiced for the happiness of your own life and those around you. The one piece of information that the book really pointed out to me was your mood is not only yours, but an influence to those around you - you have to be aware that everyone’s experiences is tied to each others so learn to have your outlook and emotions bring a positive influence to those around you rather than a negative one. After all, your stories are connected at one point or another so make the most of your overlapping time and don’t later regret actions and relationships that could have been better managed.