Coaching Corner: What is your EQ?
By "Coach" Marilou Butcher Roth
Some of you may know what I mean by “EQ,” or “EI,” and some of you may even know what your own EQ score is! EQ is the rating of your "Emotional Intelligence." The idea of emotional intelligence has been around for a while, and it is becoming more mainstream, showing up in all walks of life. Let’s start with a definition of what we are talking about:
e·mo·tion·al in·tel·li·gence
noun
noun: emotional intelligence
- the capacity to be aware of, control, and express one's emotions, and to handle interpersonal relationships judiciously and empathetically. "Emotional intelligence is the key to both personal and professional success.”
Does this pique your interest? I hope so! Finding new avenues to success in all areas of our lives is certainly worth at least a glance, isn’t it? There have been many studies showing how people with a high EQ are experiencing even greater success than those with a high IQ! Surprising? Perhaps not!
Think about how you would rate the success of those who consistently react to everything that happens around them -- these are the folks that think when something occurs that is not pleasing, that it is happening “to them.” When any of us find ourselves experiencing life from a “to me” place, finding the joy of emotional intelligence alludes us. We need to be able to have a healthy response-ability to life. Yes, I meant to spell it that way! We need to have the ability to respond to life in a healthy way, as opposed to a reactive way.
There is so much to talk about with Emotional Intelligence, and today, my intention is merely to plant the seed. If you find yourself finishing this blog post with questions and a desire for more information, I would suggest two books that I have found extremely helpful. They are: Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman and Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Travis Bradberry & Jean Greaves.
I hope this post opens a door for you to explore this idea!! Enjoy!
