Do you know what is your emotional intelligence?

Emotional intelligence (EI) is the ability to form and maintain quality social relationships, to recognize, understand and regulate emotions, to adopt goal-oriented behaviors, and to cope with the demands, challenges and pressures of everyday life.

A person with high emotional intelligence can manage impulses, communicate effectively with others, handle change well, solve unexpected problems, and use humor to build rapport in tense situations.

She also shows empathy and remains optimistic even in the face of adversity. This “clarity” of thought and “composure” in stressful and chaotic situations is what distinguishes the most successful from the least successful people in their personal and professional lives.

From the very beginning, the definition and nature of emotional intelligence have been the subject of fierce controversy. Lately, experts seem to have come to agree that there are two types of emotional intelligence.

One, known as “ability emotional intelligence”, implies a particularly high capacity to process emotional information and is related to, though distinct from, cognitive abilities.

The second, called “trait emotional intelligence (TET)”, is a concept first proposed in 2001 by Petrides and Furnham. It is linked to personality and can be represented by a combination of personality traits that are particularly effective in situations with emotional and social implications.

Wally IE is a more trait-based measure of emotional intelligence, assessing it in the form of competencies. Emotional intelligence is seen as a set of personality traits comprising a constellation of dispositions linked to emotions, self-perception and the ability to interact with others.

Wally IE distinguishes two groups of skills: those relating to the self, known as “intrapersonal skills”, and those focusing on others, or “interpersonal skills”.

Intrapersonal skills

Emotional, motivational, decision-making and behavioral self-management skills.

Interpersonal skills

The ability to create, develop and maintain lasting, high-quality interpersonal relationships.

Interpersonal skills have 5 underlying competencies, defined as follows:

Openness: the ability to adapt to change, to novelty, to different contexts and environments, and to a variety of people.Self-direction: the ability to set and achieve meaningful goals, to persevere, to commit, and to be thoughtful and disciplined.Emotional regulation: ability to regulate internalized negative emotions (e.g. anxiety, stress and vulnerability) and externalized negative emotions (e.g. impulsivity, anger and frustration), and to be optimistic.Bonding skills: the ability to connect with new people, energize a group and positively influence those around you.Relational skills: the ability to maintain quality relationships with others, based on benevolence, humility, collaboration and support.In the remainder of this text and our forthcoming publications, we will discuss these different aspects of emotional intelligence. 

Relational skills, an essential dimension of emotional intelligence

An important aspect of emotional intelligence is relational capacity.Developing our relational capacity facilitates and enriches our relationships with others, whether personal or professional. It focuses on the following dimensions and helps us to acquire the attitudes and behaviours associated with them

1. Effective communication

• Active listening : Listening attentively to others, showing concentration and genuine interest in what they have to say.

• Clear expression : Knowing how to express one's own thoughts, feelings and needs clearly and respectfully.

2. Empathy

• Emotional understanding : Perceiving and understanding the emotions and perspectives of others, which requires putting oneself in the other person's shoes and responding appropriately to their emotional needs.

• Emotional responsiveness : Responding sensitively to other people's emotions, thereby fostering authentic, trusting relationships.

3. Creating and maintaining relationships

• Trust and respect : Establish relationships based on mutual trust and respect, which requires respecting others' boundaries and treating people with integrity.

• Reflection and feedback: Be open to feedback and adjustments in interactions, and use this information to improve relationships.

4. Conflict management

• Conflict resolution : Know how to approach conflict constructively, seeking win-win solutions and maintaining positive relationships despite disagreements.

• Negotiation and compromise : Negotiate and compromise to reach mutually satisfactory agreements.

5. Collaboration and teamwork

• Collaborative spirit : Work effectively with others by fostering a cooperative environment and valuing each other's contributions.

• Collective motivation : Encouraging and supporting others to achieve common goals, while maintaining a positive group dynamic.

Interpersonal Connectedness, according to the Emotional Intelligence model, is therefore defined as the ability to communicate effectively, understand and respond to others' emotions, build and maintain strong relationships, manage conflict constructively, and cooperate with others. This skill is crucial for building lasting relationships and succeeding in collaborative environments, both personal and professionnal

In this sense, a better understanding of your emotional intelligence can help you to improve this essential aspect of your daily life: your interpersonal relationships.

Wally IE is designed to help you do just that, by assessing your current skills. To find out more, click here