Emotional intelligence is the ability of an individual to understand his own emotions, as well as others
Highlights
- Emotional Intelligence can also be called as emotional quotient
- Motivation is a key component of emotional intelligence
- Better emotional intelligence can help in developing better social skills
Emotional intelligence can be simply explained as the cognitive ability of an individual to administer their emotions and concerns along with managing other's emotions as well. EI can also be called as emotional quotient (EQ). Most psychologists add, "there isn't any psychometric scaling or test for EQ as there is for IQ, which is the 'g' factor- general intelligence; therefore many disagree that emotional intelligence is not a definite construct but an approach to describe interpersonal skills." One can increase their emotional intelligence as it is flexible to construct interpersonal skills, but they generally can't alter with their general intelligence. Hence, it can be contentious to say that EQ is of greater priority than Intelligence quotient (IQ), but can be stated as no less.
5 components which contribute to emotional intelligence
1. Self-awareness
This component of EI deals with administering your emotions while being acquainted with one's strengths and weaknesses as well as behaviour towards others around you. A person who has adequate self-awareness knows what they are doing at the moment and accepts critique.
2. Self-regulation
The quality of controlling emotions and voice them at the right time is explained as self-regulatory behaviour in emotional intelligence.
3. Motivation
Motivation is a key component towards attempting to do things with full attention and energy, this helps in handling a responsibility better when leading a group or team.
The right motivation can help develop a positive attitude in children
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4. Empathy
Being able to empathize with others while being caught up on your own thing? This component is called empathy. This is a great quality to have while dealing with a large group of people to work efficiently.
5. Social skills
People who possess higher emotional intelligence are good at communicating and expressing their feelings with others. This way, they frame improved connection and assurance with a lot of people and develop the quality to build significant interpersonal relationships.
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Some tips to increase emotional intelligence in kids can be:
1. Practice emotional training
Just like any other type of training, emotional training can also be an important part of one's way of imparting knowledge to children. Practicing emotional training can help the child to develop a deep understanding of different kinds of emotions people possess and how to react to it genuinely and without harming the feelings of others. This trait relates to the empathetic component of emotional intelligence.
2. Model rational thinking
Children's way of thinking can be turned into a positive direction by embedding rational thinking in their minds. These kinds of behaviour help the child in developing a problem-solving attitude and manage many kinds of troubles effectively. For example: when your child is finding it difficult to put the last piece of the puzzle into the frame, question them on the ways to remake the puzzle more efficiently.
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3. Develop communication
Remember, every communication matters! When you try to make conversations with your child, they develop certain skills to share their ideas better with the people around them. While the kid learns to communicate with you, they learn to communicate with the world.
4. Convey social values
Social values consist of every significant life lesson. Incorporating positive values in your child can aid them to respect others around them. Certain set of values which is carried out by emotional intelligent kids are:
- Respect and value for others
- Being kind to others
- Communicating affably
- Being honest
- Being trustworthy
5. Inspire to express emotions
Another way to encourage high emotional intelligence is to let your child know that their emotions matter. Being serious about how your child feels can help them understand how others feel when they put themselves into another person's shoe. This way they learn to inspire other people to express feelings and get to know them better.
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Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.