Emotional Intelligence | Origin, Importance And Characteristics

We explain what emotional intelligence is and the origin of the concept. In addition, its characteristics, intellectual intelligence and more.

What is emotional intelligence?

Emotional intelligence is the individual's ability to perceive and understand their own and others ' emotions and, with that information, be able to guide their thoughts and actions.

The word intelligence refers to the power of the mind to learn, reason, analyze and make decisions . In the case of emotional intelligence, it is that faculty, but to understand feelings and what happens with them. In addition, it allows self-control of emotions and impulses , a necessary ability to maintain links with other people and behave in a socially acceptable manner.

Learning emotional intelligence is possible, although it may cost some people more than others. It requires conscious work to begin to recognize your own emotions and then understand where they come from or what triggers them, so that you can manage and control them.

The learning and development of emotional intelligence allow the individual to have a better quality of life , a higher level of self-knowledge and greater empathy with the world around him. This capacity, added to intellectual intelligence, is necessary both for the adaptation of the person to different environments and moments of life and to meet goals and objectives .

Origin of the term emotional intelligence

The concept of emotional intelligence was proposed in 1995 by the American psychologist, journalist and professor Daniel Goleman in his book "Emotional Intelligence", in which he explained his study on this type of intelligence and its scope and benefits in the field of managing emotions. the companies .

According to Goleman, the concept of emotional intelligence arose from the question: Why are there people who adapt better than others to the various situations of daily life? Goleman later confirmed that this ability to adapt did not depend on the level of intellectual intelligence of the individual.

Goleman's theory states that, in addition to the intellect and the ability to reason that allow the individual to solve problems, the development of emotional intelligence is even more important to achieve personal success and happiness. Emotional intelligence is not a static ability, but rather varies throughout life and can be improved by the individual over time .

The ability to recognize, understand and express one's own emotions and those of other people is a faculty that can be developed and enhanced. In fact, it is a fundamental capacity for the good growth of a person , to maintain good interpersonal relationships, to be able to focus on goals and objectives and to tolerate and overcome moments of crisis.

Characteristics of emotional intelligence

Emotional intelligence is characterized by involving the following set of skills:

• Emotional awareness. It refers to self-awareness and the ability to understand one's emotions.
• Managing emotions . It refers to the ability to control impulses and the manifestation of emotions.
• The motivation . It refers to the ability to channel and guide emotions to encourage positive action in the individual.
• The empathy. It refers to the ability to perceive the emotions and feelings of others.
• The interpersonal relationships. It refers to the ability to manage one's emotions in relationships with other individuals.

How to exercise emotional intelligence?

Emotional intelligence can be exercised at different times and in different ways. Some examples are:

• Tolerate and accept the criticism of others, as a way of learning to improve.
• Learn from a mistake and be able to move on.
• Express what one feels , even if it is something negative, without offending others.
• Learn to value yourself , as well as value others.
• Being able to solve problems in a way that benefits everyone , not just for personal gain.
• Understand that what may be best for you may not be for others .
• Understand the emotions of others , listen to them and accompany them.
• Being aware , that is, understanding why one feels what one feels and being responsible about it.
• Understand that you should not judge, but be empathetic and, from there, make use of reason.
• Recognize what another person may be feeling , beyond their mere words, through their gestures, their body posture or look.

intellectual intelligence

Intellectual intelligence is the ability to acquire knowledge , think and reason that allows the individual to analyze situations objectively, make appropriate decisions, manage in society and adapt to possible changes.

Cognitive ability is largely innate and is due to genetic factors of the person, although social and environmental factors influence development and stimulation during learning, among other acquired issues.

The above content published at Collaborative Research Group is for informational and educational purposes only and has been developed by referring reliable sources and recommendations from technology experts. We do not have any contact with official entities nor do we intend to replace the information that they emit.

Kalum Talbot

MA student of the TransAtlantic Masters program at UNC-Chapel Hill. Political Science with a focus on European Studies. Expressed ideas are open to revision. He not only covers Technical articles but also has skills in the fields of SEO, graphics, web development and coding. .