You recently were asked to attend a meeting to discuss the hiring process in your
workplace. The Human Resources Director attended and made the following statement: “
We obviously want intelligent people, but we also want them to have emotional
intelligence”.
What did the HR director mean by that? To learn more about emotional intelligence,
explore the sites listed below. Please take one of the Emotional Intelligence (EI) tests.
Reflect on your results and explore ways that you might develop an enhanced emotional
IQ.
The following sites have informal self – administered surveys that introduce the concept of
EI in an interesting and personal way. There are also links at these sites to follow-up on
emotional quotient (EQ) assessment and enhancement approaches.
After taking the test, write a 2 – 3 page paper that covers the following:
Test results and a description of your experience in taking the test – a reflection on the
results of the test
Explanation of emotional intelligence including examples. Include the theories and ideas
around EI
Why emotional intelligence is important
Ways that one can enhance their emotional intelligence
Be sure to document your references using APA format.
For assistance with your assignment, please use your text, Web resources, and all course
materials. Please refer to the following multimedia course materials(s)
Week 3- Emotion, Learning, and Motivation
Week 3 – Principles of Emotional Intelligence
Emotional Intelligence
After taking the emotional intelligence test from
I realized that there were many areas in my life that
needed a lot of improvements. The test allowed me to rate my verbal skills, understanding
analogies, spatial skills, math skills, and logical reasoning. Moreover, it made me realize that I
am somehow resistant to changes that influence my way of operation, criticism, and feedbacks.
In addition, I always make decisions that adhere to my values. In this case, I am not always
open-minded and if I was, I would be able to achieve more in my career, relationships, and life. I
agree that I never enjoy challenges and it is hard for me to admit my wrongdoings (Institute for
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE 2
Health and Human Potential, 2013). In order to relate with others properly, I realized I should
start keeping all promises a
nd being aware of other’s moods. In a nut shell, the test enabled me to realize my strengths and
weaknesses, and focusing on making improvements can make me a better person.
Emotional intelligence- theories and ideas
For a majority of the people, emotional intelligence is more vital than IQ in achieving
success in career and life (Salovey & Mayer, 2009). Therefore, there is a need to develop mature
emotional intelligence skills so as to be in a position to better empathize, understand, as well as
negotiate with others. This is particularly in the present day business environment where there is
a globalized economy. Otherwise, people will not be able to attain success in life and career
(Salovey & Mayer, 2009). Some of the core emotional intelligence elements include self
management, self awareness, social awareness, empathy, motivation, social skills, and
relationship management.
A person with high emotional intelligence knows how to deal with others accordingly,
that is, utilizing psychology on them (Salovey & Mayer, 2009). For instance, in a home where
there is a child who never stops crying unnecessarily, people in the home can deal with the child
using different ways. A person whose emotional intelligence is low will scream back at such a
child. On the other hand, a person whose emotional intelligence is high will look at this child,
smile, and speak using a normal tone with the intention of distracting him. He will also say
something like, ‘when you are through with crying, we can take an ice cream.’ In another
example, a man who calls his girlfriend every five minutes might not be aware that this makes
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE 3
him come off as desperate. On the contrary, a person with a high EI calls his girl once daily and
with a particular aim.
Significance
Possessing a high emotional intelligence is important in that it enables a person to live a
happier life since he can understand others and talk with them easily. Moreover, a person is able
to act calmly and rationally in challenging situations and as a result, a person enjoys job
opportunities and better relationships (Goleman, 2008).
Enhancing emotional intelligence
There are several ways through which emotional intelligence can be enhanced. The first
step is understanding its significance in life. Knowing its importance ensures that a person
always strives to improve it. Second, a person should learn to identify stress triggers and deal
with them appropriately. When faced with stress, being relaxed and calm helps in dealing with
the stress effectively (Goleman, 2008). Third, a person should realize that being agreeable,
intellectually curious, and open-minded is paramount to emotional intelligence. A person should
be open-minded to new ideas as well as the ideas and emotions of others. Other strategies
include being emphatic, outgoing, prepared to deliberate, conscientious, self-aware, attentive,
optimistic, and using communication skills as required.
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE 4
References
Goleman, D. (2008). Working with emotional intelligence. Random House LLC.
Institute for Health and Human Potential. (2013). Free EQ Quiz.