OK, so what is Emotional Intelligence?

Well let's start with what it isn't. 

It's not a passing fad or the latest management school trend.

It's not about dumping your feelings on others 

It doesn't label you as an emotional basket case. 

It's certainly doesn't involve walking around handing out group hugs, being warm and fuzzy or or staying nauseatingly positive.  

It doesn't involve trying to make everyone happy all the time and always saying yes.

It doesn't only apply to you if you feel and show emotions. Two people may both feel powerless, but one might handle it intelligently and the other may not

It's not for some people but not for others - we all have emotional intelligence to some degree. •

And it certainly has nothing to do with making emotional decisions.  

In a nutshell, Emotional Intelligence (EI) is a set of skills that influence how we perceive and express ourselves, develop and maintain relationships, cope with challenges, and use emotional information in an effective and meaningful way.

Our levels of EI (also know as our EQ) can have a surprisingly powerful effect on our lives, from our ability to foster long-term relationships with friends and romantic partners to whether we’re able to succeed in school and pursue meaningful work that gives us a sense of purpose. 

Throughout the course of a single day, chances are we'll all experience a huge range of emotions—joy, frustration, contentment, sadness, anxiety—depending on how that particular day unfolds. 

How we experience and express emotions is a result of both nature and nurture: our genetic legacy and the myriad experiences we live through.

Some of us wear our heart on our sleeve and expresses emotions openly. Others are closed books and prefer not to share how they're feeling.

Either way, our emotions have a huge impact on the words, actions, and facial expressions we use to navigate our day-to-day life.  

When we develop our emotional intelligence we're able to identify and regulate our own emotions, to recognise the emotions of other people and feel empathy toward them, and to use these abilities to communicate effectively and build healthy, productive relationships. 

Thankfully, we're not born with EI. It has to be learned. And Wordplay has certified practitioners ready to teach it.