Emotional intelligence is the ability to identify, understand, manage, and use emotions in positive and constructive ways. It’s no secret.  Emotional intelligence, EQ, is a necessary superpower for a leader who wants to be effective. 

Leaders who are able to manage their emotional intelligence, their EQ, are able to be the master of their emotions and not let their emotions be the master of them. This is a vital skill when trying to communicate effectively and professionally.  EQ can assist in a leader’s ability to choose the words to use and the words to lose.

One of the most efficient ways you can increase your EQ is to build your emotional vocabulary.  When we experience emotions we often label them with the easiest or most frequently used term.  For example, when something bothers us we tell ourselves that we are “angry.”  If we label the emotion we are experiencing as “anger” it might be difficult to stay cool. It might be difficult to communicate in a respectful and professional manner.

Imagine if instead of labeling the emotion “anger,” we did a quick self-check and determined if another word would be more accurate? For instance, what if “irritated” or “annoyed” or “frustrated” is a more accurate label? It is often much easier to stay calm and to make wise communication choices when we are only “annoyed” rather than “angry.”

leader who more accurately identifies their emotions is better equipped to manage and use those emotions in positive and constructive ways. Professionals who consciously work to build their emotional vocabularies and who strive to label their emotions more accurately are putting EQ into action.  

Build your emotional vocabulary and build your EQ: listen to this webinar on Building an Emotionally Intelligent Team, Thursday, March 24th.

Pamela Jett is a communication skills and leadership expert who knows that words matter! In her keynote presentations, workshops, books and online learning programs, she moves beyond communication theory into practical strategies that can be implemented immediately to create the kind of leadership, teamwork, and employee engagement results her clients want.