Emotional intelligence, social intelligence, ecological intelligence
Q: You’ve described self-awareness as one of the most important facets of EQ. How can people develop greater self-awareness? A: Self-awareness means the ability to monitor our inner world – our thoughts and feelings. Mindfulness is one method for enhancing this essential capacity – it trains our attention to notice subtle, but important signals, and to… Read more »
Q: Having good social skills is another component of EQ, but does that mean people who are shy or introverted don’t have as high an EQ? Again, how can one improve social skills? Social competence takes many forms – it’s more than just being chatty. These abilities range from being able to tune into another… Read more »
Q: There seems to be an growing interest in emotional intelligence, especially the workplace – why do you think this is (i.e., what exactly is EQ and how can it improve your success in life)? A: The interest in emotional intelligence in the workplace stems from the widespread recognition that these abilities – self-awareness, self-management, empathy… Read more »
Q: Historically, leaders in many organizations discouraged emotionality in the workplace. Why is EI an important quality for leaders (and employees)? A: Emotional intelligence does not mean being emotional – letting it all out. Quite the contrary – it means being skillful in the emotional and social realm. With neuroscience finding that emotions are contagious, and… Read more »
Q: Today, more than ever, creating an extraordinary customer experience is critical for an organization’s survival. Can you address how EI plays a pivotal role in the area of customer care? A: Because emotions are contagious, how your employees interact with your customers determines how the customer will feel about your company. You want your… Read more »
Q: In the digital age, students are making connections both socially and emotionally through technology. Are there opportunities for schools to use technology to help improve their students’ EI and if so, what specific tech tools do you think would work best to accomplish this—apps, mobile devices, laptops, Web sites, social networks, computer games, etc.?… Read more »
Q: With the aim of becoming more aware of my actions and understanding underlying emotions, I want to learn how to meditate. I was wondering what type of meditation you recommend I begin to practice and where is the best place where I can go to learn. A: Meditation is an excellent way to enhance… Read more »
Q: Do you plan to write about sales, a methodology? There are lots of books on the topic but none with your perspective. What does an emotionally intelligent sales person look like? A: Effectiveness at sales certainly reflect emotional intelligence strengths in empathy (especially understanding your customer’s needs), relationship-building, and influence. I’ve described this in… Read more »
Q: What are the advantages of 360 degree feedback? A: 360 degree feedback works best if you ask people whose opinions you value and trust to evaluate your emotional intelligence anonymously – that is, they use a measure they can fill out and give to a neutral third party, who will aggregate the date so… Read more »
Q: It seems many of the younger generation care more about pop culture instead of serious societal manners — some may call it brain dead. Are today’s young people lacking in emotional intelligence? Older generations have been decrying the loss of seriousness and manners in young people since at least the time of Aristotle, several… Read more »