Want to develop your emotional intelligence? Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves is a great book to read! In the book summary and review of Emotional Intelligence 2.0, I included the important information.
Emotional Intelligence is a concept you hear about all the time. But do you know what it means to be emotionally intelligent? A few years ago, it was one skill the World Economic Forum says you need to thrive in the future. There are many books on emotional intelligence. And several of them are pretty good.
However, two that are mentioned all the time are considered the bibles of emotional intelligence, Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ by Daniel Goleman. And Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves.
To succeed in work and life, you have to effectively deal with your emotions. The brain is hard-wired to give emotions the upper hand. Communication between your emotions and rational “brains” is the physical source of emotional intelligence.
Emotional Intelligence 2.0: What is Emotional Intelligence?
“It’s your ability to recognize and understand emotions in yourself and others, and your ability to use this awareness to manage your behavior and relationships. Emotional intelligence is the ‘something’ in each of us that is a bit intangible.”
Have you read?
Go Suck a Lemon: How Emotionally Intelligent Are You?
Emotional Intelligence 2.0: How do you increase your EQ (Emotional Quotient)?
EQ is a skill you can learn. Emotional Intelligence 2.0 was written to help people increase their EQ. And it explores 66 strategies that result from years of testing. What do you need to say, do, and think to increase your EQ? Where do you focus your attention? The authors of Emotional Intelligence 2.0 mention that it’s important to take the Emotional Intelligence Appraisal to establish a baseline.
You take the test twice. The first time to establish a baseline. And the second time after you’ve been using the strategies outlined in the book for a while.
How do you develop the skill to manage your emotions?
Emotional Intelligence 2.0: Good Decisions
- Factual knowledge.
- Self-Knowledge.
- Emotional Mastery
Emotional Intelligence 2.0: Emotions Are Derived from 5 Core Feelings
- Happiness
- Sadness
- Anger
- Fear
- Shame
Your first reaction to an event is usually an emotional one. You have control over how you react to an emotion, once you’re aware of it. And your personality is a result of your preferences, such as your inclination to extraversion and introversion. IQ, EQ, and personality, give you the picture of the whole person. They’re distinct qualities you possess. They determine how you think and act.
Emotional Intelligence 2.0: Impact of EQ
EQ has a substantial impact on your professional success. It is the foundation for many critical skills. And it impacts almost everything you do and say every day. People who develop their EQ tend to be successful on the job. The two go hand-in-hand. The higher your EQ, the more money you make. Every point increase in EQ adds an average of $1300 to your annual salary.
Emotional Intelligence 2.0: Understanding the 4 Emotional Intelligence Skills
Emotional Intelligence 2.0 clearly shows the four emotional intelligence skills.
Personal Competence
- Self-Awareness
- Self-Management
Social Competence
- Social Awareness
- Relationship Management
Personal Competence: Ability to stay aware of your emotions and manage your behavior and tendencies. It's comprised of Self-awareness and self-management, which is about you.
Social Competence: Ability to understand other people’s moods, behaviors, and motives to improve the quality of your relationships. Social awareness and relationship management, components of social competence, are about how you are with others.
Self-Awareness
The ability to accurately perceive your emotions in-the-moment. It’s staying on top of your typical reactions to specific events, challenges, and people. Have a keen understanding of your tendencies. Think through your emotions to figure them out and where they come from.
Emotions are your reaction to the world. Self-reflection prevents you from doing things you will later regret.
Self-awareness is also about understanding what makes you tick. People with high self-awareness are clear on what they do well, what motivates and satisfies them. And which situations and people push their buttons. Self-awareness is a foundational skill. When you have it, it’s easier to use all the three emotional intelligence skills. When self-awareness increases, work and life satisfaction also increases. It's easier to achieve your goals when you are self-aware. You pursue the right opportunities.
Self-Management
It’s about when you act or do not act. It depends on your self-awareness. And it’s the second part of personal competence. Self-management is your ability to use your awareness of your emotions to stay flexible and direct your behavior positively. The biggest challenge that people face is managing their tendencies. As well as applying their skills in several situations. People who manage themselves best are able to see things through without cracking.
Social Awareness
It’s a component of social competence. It’s a foundational skill. You accurately pick up on the emotions in other people. And you can understand what is going on with them. It’s also perceiving what others are thinking and feeling. You stay focused to absorb important information. It’s listening and observing key elements of social awareness. And it's about active listening and paying attention to what's going on around you.
You watch people as you interact with them. It’s like becoming an anthropologist, who watches people in their natural state without adding their thoughts and feelings to the list. It's about picking up on understanding people's emotions when you're with them. You deeply understand another person’s situation.
Relationship Management
This is the second component of social competence. It taps into all the three emotional intelligence skills – self-awareness, self-management, and social awareness. It’s the ability to use your awareness of your own emotions and those of others to successfully manage interactions. When you do this, it helps to ensure clear communication and effective handling of conflict. It’s the bond you build with others over time.
People who can manage relationships see the value of connecting with others. Even the ones they aren't fond of. To get others to listen to you, practice relationship management. To build strong relationships, spend time and have quality, deep conversation with others. Learn to manage anger and frustration at work. It’s important to think about feelings and do something about your feelings.
As mentioned before, Emotional Intelligence 2.0 includes 66 strategies. The brain can change. So, when you use the strategies to improve your emotional intelligence skills, the pathway of thought responsible for behavior grows strong. Practice the strategies repeatedly to make them your own.
Final Thoughts: Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves
There’s an Emotional Intelligence Plan in Emotional Intelligence 2.0. Decide which EQ skill you want to work on first. Pick three strategies to develop the skill. When you hone your emotional intelligence skills, you become a better negotiator because you can see and understand another person’s point of view. I recommend you read Emotional Intelligence 2.0 Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves.
Next Steps
Wondering what to do next, you can do all of:
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