Over the past few years, emotional intelligence (or EQ for short) has become one of the most popular psychology theories. It seems that everyone is talking about it, people are being trained in it, and companies are putting its teachings into practice to improve workplace efficiency and productivity.

Many believe that it can be learned through courses or self-assessments, and some even claim that improving your EQ will change how you live your life.

While there is no doubt that EQ is important, research does not show that IQ alone predicts success. In fact, studies have shown that success is more influenced by non-cognitive factors like empathy and social skills than it is cognitive abilities such as leadership or communication skills.

This article will talk about why emotional intelligence matters, and what experts think about whether it can be taught. If you’d like to learn more about this theory, start looking now!

Why is emotional intelligence so important?

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Emotional intelligence comes down to someone’s ability to recognize their emotions and understand what effect they have on others. This includes understanding your own feelings, which helps you deal with stress and motivate yourself; understanding other people’s emotions and how to influence them; and using these strategies when interacting with others.

Factors that affect our emotional intelligence

One of the biggest factors in how well you manage your emotions is your early experiences.

If someone close to you has been diagnosed with cancer, for example, it’s very likely that you will feel distressed about their health and what they can suffer next.

But if they have done this before, then it may be more helpful than hurtful.

Because even though it might make you feel bad at first, you eventually get over it because you understand that things happen.

And when people go through hard times, we sometimes learn from them and come out stronger for it.

Running away or ignoring an uncomfortable situation won’t help you grow as a person. It could actually do the opposite.

So try being kinder to people who have suffered loss, and see whether that makes a difference.

Interpersonal skills

A lot of people believe that emotional intelligence (or EQ as it is commonly referred to) is only valuable in workplace settings, such as relationships with colleagues and superiors. However, studies show that having these skills is actually helpful at all levels of an individual’s life.

This includes understanding how other people feel so you can help them achieve their goals, how to motivate others to work towards a common goal, and how to use social interactions to your own benefit.

It also means being able to manage your own emotions and behaviors, which some experts say are more important than IQ.

Social skills

A lot of people think that emotional intelligence (or EQ as it is sometimes called) means being able to read someone’s emotions and responding with appropriate emotions yourself, but this isn’t quite right.

Social skills like empathy are an important part of emotional intelligence, but they go beyond that. You have to know what other people want, and how to get it for them. This is referred to as effective interpersonal or social-relationsknowledge.

It sounds simple enough, but actually developing these skills takes work. It requires practicing, practice, and more practice.

You will never develop true social knowledge unless you put in effort into studying others and understanding their behaviors. And really investing in relationships will pay off for you in many ways — not just professionally, but also personally.

Some of these reasons include feeling happier at home, achieving greater success at work, and experiencing less stress and mental health issues. All this comes from knowing how to connect with and use help resources around you.

Positive attitude

A positive attitude is when you believe in yourself and your abilities, therefore thinking that you can succeed. You assume good things will happen and thus begin to expect them.

A person with high emotional intelligence has this ability to be optimistic even during difficult times. They are not necessarily happy all of the time, but they do not have the same negative influence as people who may use their emotional skills to manipulate others for their own benefits.

It seems like such a simple thing, but having a positive attitude helps us achieve our goals. When we have a positive outlook on life, we are more likely to motivate ourselves and keep seeking out opportunities to improve.

Emotionally intelligent individuals recognize and understand emotions in other people and themselves, which help them relate to someone else’s feelings. This understanding allows them to treat such people with respect and to identify what factors might be important to them.

Running into a friend at a party could mean finding out about their day or whether they are feeling lonely and need company. An emotionally intelligent individual would try to connect with them on their level, instead of trying to get a bigger insight by asking questions about their job or family.