Emotions play a role in our learning, decision-making, creativity, relationships, and health. In this emotionally charged time, emotional intelligence helps us build resilience. It’s key to being an impactful student, leader, and future clinician.
What is Emotional Intelligence?
Emotional intelligence is a set of emotional and social skills that collectively establish how we perceive and express ourselves and develop and maintain social relationships. Emotional intelligence focuses on:
Self-Perception
Understanding your strengths and weaknesses so you can seek personal and emotional improvement.
Emotionally fit people are self-reflective. They understand their triggers and biases and continuously check in with themselves. They are patient, resilient, and willing to be vulnerable with others. Some may struggle to accept or acknowledge their weaknesses. Still, it’s important not to dismiss criticisms or other perspectives, but instead, reflect and process. This is applicable in clinical situations, as well as when dealing with situations like racial injustice and allyship.
Self-Expression
Clearly expressing yourself and your feelings.
Being able to choose whom you express your emotions and when, rather than letting emotions take over. It’s about expressing your feelings with intelligence. This means you can express your feelings clearly and openly. You can express a full range of emotions, from grief, disappointment, anxiety, fear, anger, love, pride, determination, joy, enthusiasm, and happiness. You initiate the discussions around how you feel and don’t wait to be asked.
Interpersonal Skills
Building relationships based on empathy that benefit others and having a social responsibility to the greater community.
Practice putting yourself in other’s shoes. Don’t assume that others have experienced what you have or will react the way you would. It’s essential to be empathetic when working with your peers, clients, their families, and the community. Not having the ability to understand others’ perspectives will create a barrier to connection and collaboration.
Decision Making
Problem-solving without being impulsive or biased.
Emotional decisions usually result in taking incorrect actions. Being angry can motivate you to do something that you’ll regret later. By reasoning before acting, you’ll become more emotionally intelligent. Take intentional pauses before reacting to give yourself time to process.
Stress Management
Showing resilience during stressful circumstances while maintaining a positive attitude and hopeful disposition.
Stress management can be the hardest to achieve because it’s a moving target. Focus on the here and now instead of the “what ifs.” Instead of trying to conquer and battle all the potential problems, focus on the here and now issues.
Building Emotional Intelligence
Building emotional intelligence takes practice. It requires observing, processing, and understanding your and others’ emotions. Here are five tips to increase your own emotional intelligence:
- Watch how others manage situations.
- Read about emotional intelligence.
- Find mentors who excel in emotional intelligence or communication.
- Take emotional intelligence training.
- Practice, practice, practice.
Why Should You Care About Emotional Intelligence as a Student?
As someone who will be entering the workforce soon, understand that some companies use emotional intelligence testing to hire new staff. People with high emotional quotient (EQ) are more innovative and have higher job satisfaction than those with lower EQs. There’s a distinct difference between people with high and low EQs:
People with Low EQ
- Often feel misunderstood
- Get upset easily
- Become overwhelmed by emotions
- Have problems being assertive
People with High EQ
- Understand the links between their emotions and how they behave
- Remain calm and composed during stressful situations
- Can influence others toward a common goal
- Handle difficult people with tact and diplomacy
Research suggests that professionals interested in advancing into leadership roles need to enhance their emotional intelligence. It helps them to be mindful of their and other people’s emotions and use them better to engage their peers, clients, and the public.
Emotional Intelligence—An Ongoing Quest
Emotional intelligence requires continual self-reflection and the ability to be flexible in different social situations. Practice these skills in class, at home, at work, or in a volunteer capacity. You may not be perfectly poised in every situation, but it’s important to come to each situation with fresh eyes and prepared to use your emotional intelligence tools.