By Samiat Ajayi
The term emotional intelligence was coined by two researchers John Meyer and Peter Salovey in an artist they titled Emotional Intelligence in 1990, though it made its first appearance in a paper by Michael Beldoch in 1964. Daniel Goleman's book titled "Emotional Intelligence" made great contributions to the popularity of the term as well.
Emotional Intelligence in simple terms is the ability to manage one's emotions and that of others which in return paves way for effective communication with oneself and others. Emotional Intelligence is otherwise known as EQ and it buttresses the awareness of emotions and how to channel this awareness into mitigating conflict and overcoming everyday challenges. The argument of whether EQ can be learned or if inborn characteristics still surface.
The essentiality of emotional intelligence hitherto has been undermined and IQ placed over it, taking recognition as the standard for success. An intelligent Quotient has however proven to be solely insufficient in attaining success in life. Intelligent Quotient assesses your intelligence but fails in the area of enhancing your ability to connect with others and how to build on such relationships which is an everyday phenomenon or encounter as your inability to use emotions to enhance thoughts would serve as a barrier to attaining success at home, school, workplace and the society at large. Though intelligent Quotient is recognized as a factor managing our emotions plays a much role. When feelings or emotions are heightened, they reach a high level they are capable of altering our brain's function placing intelligent Quotient in the bin and emphasizing the need for Emotional Intelligent or EQ but not completely discarding the former as they prove to be more effective side by side.
Daniel Goleman identified four pivotal attributes of emotional intelligence which he listed to be Self-awareness, Self-regulation, Social skills, empathy, and lastly motivation. While Self awareness is the ability to understand your emotions and the awareness of the effect of such actions, self-regulation helps in the management of these emotions, it helps keep emotions in control. The third attribute, social skills go beyond understanding your emotions alone but includes that of others as well, it further paves way for effective communication and plays a major role in conflict resolution. Empathy is the ability to perceive other people's emotions, interpreting emotions especially by effective listening helps to mirror what other people feel. Motivation being the last of five explains how people that can apply intelligence to their emotions are not aroused by Money, recognition, or anything of the sort but simply seek inner needs and goals.
Emotional Intelligence contributions are immense to individuals, organizations as well society. In organizations where employees are recruited based on how well they can apply intelligence in their emotions and that of others, such employees will not only work better as a team but also create room for changes and adjustments and as well build a better working environment.
For individuals personally, emotional intelligence proves to help boost both physical and mental health as it doesn't end at helping one understand and manage one's emotions but extends to that of others. From self-awareness to self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills. Emotional Intelligence helps develop an individual's personal growth in self-awareness, it helps to strive to control your thoughts in self-regulation, Just as it helps improve interpersonal relationships in social skills. It is an essential people skill that helps build up strong leaders and develop human relations.
And lastly, for students, who encounter day to day relationships, with mere peers and intimate partners, emotional Intelligence serves as a guide on how to regulate these relationships, while their intelligence Quotient might test their intelligence and be used to determine their academic activities, emotional Intelligence otherwise known as EQ as stated earlier will help build concrete people's skill and better connections with others. It would help to better handle pressure would help build their problem-solving skills. EQ allows students to decipher situations better and how to handle them instead of running to the option of suicide. It helps them handle stress better.
Emotional Intelligence has proven its significance in all walks of life, profering solutions on how to deal with emotional and personal growth. EQ plays the role of a flashlight, lighting the way for individuals in the dark and buttresses the need for the nullification of the belief that IQ is the basis for success. Emotional Intelligence builds leadership skills, thereby making the world sustainable for all.
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