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If a person conflicts with other people and has difficulty understanding their feelings, it may be a matter of low EQ. Let’s consider what emotional intelligence is, how to recognize it, and why it’s important to develop EQ for improved interactions and success.

What Is Emotional Intelligence – High And Low?

EQ is an ability to understand your own and other people’s emotions, as well as manage them. While IQ is understood as a set of intellectual and logical components, EQ implies the presence of personal and social skills.

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People with high emotional intelligence often express empathy, and the ability to listen and understand others. People with low EQ, on the contrary, are too critical of others and have difficulty recognizing and understanding both their own and other people’s feelings. That is why it may be sometimes difficult for them to get closer with people and provide them with moral support.

The Effects of Low Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence influences many aspects of life. It determines how successful people are in relationships, careers, and other areas. Statistics clearly show us that people with higher levels of emotional intelligence usually achieve better results. That is why it is so important to focus on improving emotional intelligence to increase your chances of success.

EQ in personal relationships

EQ plays an important role in establishing and maintaining healthy and harmonious relationships. When we understand and manage our emotions, we are better able to perceive the emotions and needs of our partner. This allows us to build a deeper emotional connection, resolve conflicts, and find compromises. Having a high level of emotional intelligence, we create a basis for trust, mutual understanding, and happy relationships.

Naturally, people with low emotional intelligence might find it challenging to form relationships due to their inability to understand emotions. The common reason is unresolved past traumas, like abandonment, neglect, daddy issues in a guy, or lack of affection from significant adults. This, in turn, can create emotional blockages that further impair their ability to trust or build healthy relationships. As a result, they may often feel isolated or misunderstood.

EQ in a career

Numerous studies have shown that people with developed EQ are more successful in their careers, have stronger relationships, and are mentally healthy. But how many of them are there?

Only about 36% of people in the world are emotionally intelligent. A study conducted by 80 scientists over 40 years also showed that social and emotional skills are four times more significant than IQ in determining professional success. However, according to a survey by Business Harvard Review, 95% of people think they are self-aware, but in reality, only 10-15% are.

Experts say that emotional intelligence accounts for almost 90% of what distinguishes high performers from people with similar technical skills and knowledge. A study by the Niagara Institute found that less than 20% of people in the companies surveyed were emotionally intelligent. It’s not surprising because 68% of organizations do not have any formal tools for identifying, developing, or using EI.

However, 42% of organizations worldwide conduct emotional intelligence training for senior management, and 90% of their employees have a high EI score.

How To Develop Emotional Intelligence

Typically, emotional intelligence can be developed over time. By constantly working on social skills and self-awareness, we can qualitatively change many areas of our lives. For example, become a better leader, harmonize relationships with a partner, and build a strong friendship. Here are some exercises that will help develop EQ and improve your life:

1.    Dialogue with yourself

This exercise will work on self-awareness. It is important to develop this skill among the first. Otherwise, how will we understand the emotions of others if we do not know our own?

So, to track your emotional state, set a reminder several times a day with the question, “How are you feeling now?” You can simply answer the question, or you can write down your emotions. Also, try to find the root of your emotions by answering the question, “Why?” For example, “Why did you get angry?”, “What made you smile?” etc.

Another important point is to track your physical condition. Write down what sensations arose in your body. Perhaps your palms were sweaty, or your heart was beating faster.

2.   The Silent Movie Practice

Here is another way to learn to recognize other people’s emotions. Turn on a film that you haven’t seen yet without sound and try to understand what the characters are experiencing now. Watch their gestures, facial expressions, facial expressions and body language. Then turn on the sound and check if you’ve guessed correctly.

This exercise may help you recognize body signs that accompany certain emotions. For example, nodding one’s head towards an interlocutor shows that the person agrees or wants to please others.

A similar exercise can be done while walking or standing in line for coffee. Look at the faces of those around you and try to understand what emotions they are experiencing now. Perhaps you will notice that someone is tapping their finger, just like you do when you are nervous.

3.   Self-control training

In this exercise, it is very important not to try to suppress emotions, since there is no such thing as “bad” and “good” emotions. The main thing is to allow yourself to experience them.

Different techniques may help you achieve self-control. Choose what suits you best:

• verbalization or saying emotions out loud: “I am offended because…” or “I am sad because…”;
• breathing exercises may help you calm down. Try to inhale and exhale deeply when you are angry or worried;
• do your favorite sport or just go for a walk. The main thing is not to forget to analyze how this type of activity helped you cope with the emotion.
  

4.   Try mirroring your interlocutor

This practice may help you develop empathy and better understand the feelings and emotions of others. In a conversation, try repeating your interlocutor’s phrases in your own words. This way, you will let the person know that you are really listening to them and that it is important for you to understand their feelings. Eventually, the more often you do this, the better you will understand others.