What Are The 4 Types of Emotional Intelligence?

Are you in control of your emotions or do your emotions control you?  This is a fundamental question you should ask yourself when trying to understand emotional intelligence.

So, what exactly is it? How someone recognizes and manages all their emotions. It’s how a person cares for their emotional needs and wants without anyone or anything interfering.

Picture this; you and your colleague have a misunderstanding about a work assignment, do you start arguing and hurling insults at each other?  Or do you find an amicable way of solving it? It’s a tough call but it is something to reflect on.

Here are 4 categories of emotional intelligence to get a better perspective;

Self-awareness

Our lives are so jam-packed with business and chaos that we sometimes tend to put ourselves on the back burner. We become so busy with our daily routine that we rarely take time off to assess how we feel. Self-awareness is about how you accurately assess your emotions and respond to the situations at hand. Self-aware people understand what triggers them, what motivates them, and the types of self-care they need to practice daily to live a healthy lifestyle.

In the example I used about the argument with the colleague, would you yell back, walk out or would you calmly respond?

Self-management

This emotional intelligence type is self-explanatory. It’s about how you actually manage your emotions once you’ve come across them. Self-management focuses on what and how you respond to certain situations. Ask yourself these questions. What is my immediate reaction to a situation? Will I be able to remain calm and collected?

Social awareness

Social awareness is about the empathy you have for others and the world around you. Empathetic people tend to understand better how their actions affect others and know when they must take a step back. Think about it like this. Who would you rather hang out with?

Someone who listens to how you feel? Or someone who makes every situation about themselves?

I know I personally would pick the first option. I value empathy and would definitely appreciate someone who values and acknowledges my feelings especially when I am distressed.

Relationship management

Finally, there is relationship management. Relationship management looks at how you combine the first three emotional intelligence types to manage your personal and professional relationships. It’s about how you use this combination to motivate, inspire, and encourage the people around you to perform at their highest levels.

Let’s say Person A offends you or hurts your feelings, do you take it out on Person B & C -who completely having nothing to do with the situation, or do you find ways to solve issues with Person A?

Why is it Important to Understand Emotional Intelligence?

Emotional intelligence allows you to understand and manage your emotions to motivate yourself, create positive social interactions, and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

It is perfectly normal to be angry and sensitive. Emotions are part of human nature but the power lies in how we handle and respond to them.

Are you emotionally intelligent? Sign up for this EQ course and find better ways to manage your emotions for better personal and professional growth.