Emotional intelligence is a type of social intelligence that involves the ability to monitor one's own and others' emotions, to discriminate among them, and to use the information to guide one's thinking and actions.
People who possess a high degree of emotional intelligence know themselves very well and are also able to sense the emotions of others. They are affable, resilient, and optimistic.
By developing their emotional intelligence individuals can become more productive and successful at what they do, and help others become more productive and successful too.
Psychologists John Mayer and Peter Salovey, introduced the concept of emotional intelligence in the early 1990s. According to them, emotions are internal events that coordinate physiological responses, cognitions, and conscious awareness.
According to Daniel Goleman in 1998, “Emotional Intelligence refers to the capacity for recognizing our own feelings and those of others, for motivating ourselves, and for managing emotions well in ourselves and in our relationships”
Emotional Intelligence subsumes inter- and intrapersonal intelligences, and involves abilities that may be categorized into five domains:
Self-awareness:
Observing yourself and recognizing a feeling as it happens.
Managing emotions:
Handling feelings so that they are appropriate; realizing what is behind a feeling; finding ways to handle fears and anxieties, anger, and sadness.
Motivating oneself:
Channeling emotions in the service of a goal; emotional self control; delaying gratification and stifling impulses.
Empathy:
Sensitivity to others' feelings and concerns and taking their perspective; appreciating the differences in how people feel about things.
Handling relationships:
Managing emotions in others; social competence and social skills.
Emotional intelligence
