Credit: Today we learned about Emotional Intelligence, thanks to Philip Gimmack who owns EQWorks.
In the short term perhaps being focussed just on ourselves and what ‘we’ need may get us more of what we think is important to us. But as a mind-set and a long term view it will fail. Without a true appreciation of what others do for us, it’s more difficult to grow and improve our way of life.
Millions of people have worked diligently to get ‘you’ where you are now, today. Let’s take a moment and remind ourselves of who they are and where we’d be if they hadn’t worked so hard for us. The medical support enabling our birth. The all-round healthcare, clean water, diverse and nutritious food, clothing, the education we received. How about the government we moan about which raises tax and spends on vital services to keep our lives running smoothly every day? What about those folks in the office who manage the money for the coffee tin, the kitty for birthday presents and the Christmas party organisation?
When we have an appreciation of others, the things that we rely on we see more clearly. We are more appreciative of their value. This has proven health effects on us. Gratitude is very powerful. But also we become more aware of how we can deliver value to others in return. We should be aware of our potential and how our own talents and experiences can help others and then how to leverage this in our personal and professional spheres.
Professional Success
Good emotional intelligence is an essential skill for anyone who holds a management position or works in a team. Our emotional intelligence allows us to consider how other people feel. Part of this is about reflecting on what other people do, how they contribute to the office environment and valuing these contributions. This is essential to predicting other peoples responses to challenges or change and in being able to influence people to do what we want. Simply trying to roller coaster others into doing what we want rarely works and introduces conflict and resentment unnecessarily as well as making change and decisions harder.
It is much more effective to anticipate peoples desires or fears and develop a strategy to head off or overcome these reactions. For most executives, it is very helpful to develop their emotional intelligence skills with coaching or training. This really is one of the most effective skills for any manager but it will also be incredibly helpful in your personal life as well.
If you often feel like you are not listened to, the intensity of peoples reactions surprise you, you never get your way, you don’t contribute socially to your workplace or you find your team difficult to get on with you will benefit from improving your emotional intelligence.
Feel Good Factor
Most of us need or at least enjoy being needed, and derive huge value from knowing we’re contributing to others and making a positive difference. It’s hard-wired into most of us. So mindfulness about what other people contribute to our lives actually ends up being self-serving. This doesn’t detract from its value.
We need to stop, think and appreciate. We need to take responsibility for how and who we spend our time and money on. Our allocation of these resources decides our future, from the paper we read to the views we share on social media, we all have influence. We are someone else’s millions. It’s the only sustainable way to be happy, healthy and fulfilled.
