L'emotional intelligence is the ability to identify, understand, express, regulate and use emotions and those of others constructively. It is based on five pillars These include self-awareness, self-control, motivation, empathy and social skills.
It's a form of intelligence that complements intelligence quotient (IQ), and is crucial for effective relationships and professional success.
Why develop this soft skill?
Emotional intelligence enables you to :
- better manage stress and tensions
- adapt its communication depending on the emotional context
- motivate teams authentically
- preventing conflict
- make balanced decisions that take people into account.
Examples
- Keeping calm in stressful situations.
- Recognising the signs of stress in a colleague and offering support.
It's not the smartest who succeed, but the one who manages their emotions best.
Daniel Goleman
How can we develop it?
- Practise mindfulness to observe your emotions without judgement.
- Keep an emotional diary to help you identify your feelings.
- Working on stress management (breathing, anchoring, relaxation).
- Asking for and giving emotional feedback.
- Training in empathy and emotional communication.
🔁 Associated skills
- Empathy
- Self-awareness
- Stress management
- Leadership emotional
Self-assessment
✅ I quickly recognise my emotions.
✅ I can identify other people's emotions.
✅ I keep calm in tense situations.
✅ I express my emotions without accusing others.
✅ I make decisions taking into account the emotional impact.
Less than 4 positive responses? It's time to exercise your emotional intelligence.
Training
Managing with emotional intelligence
Control your emotions to be more effective
Read also
The soft skills that will be essential in 2025
To remember
Emotional intelligence is a powerful lever for professional success. It enables us to get to know ourselves better, create healthy relationships and act with discernment.