[A104] Listen, Really Listen: Grow Your Emotional Intelligence to Make Better Decisions

We hear about IQ all the time — even if it’s controversial. However, book smarts and the ability to pass a test might not help you a lot in your interactions with other people. What you need to develop is emotional intelligence.

The ability connect with others is an important part of life. When you develop emotional intelligence, your relationships with others, from your friends to your coworkers to your kids to your parents to your life partner, improve immensely.

Concepts

• What it means to be emotionally intelligent.
• How your emotional intelligence helps you interact with others.
• Tips for using emotional control to problem-solve.
• The importance of being able to understand others.
• How to develop an emotionally intelligent approach to life.
• Tips for boost your level of emotional intelligence.
• Learning to recognize your emotions and others.
• How to practice different activities to make you more emotionally intelligent.

Use this week's DO NOWs to get started with developing your emotional intelligence. Begin recording your feelings in a journal, and practice active listening. You can also begin looking for others' good qualities and get input from others about your own personality and how you come across.

Having trouble identifying social cues? Our question this week looks at what happens when you struggle in social situations. We talk about developing emotional intelligence and how to improve your skills if needed.

Resources