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Writer's pictureJaclyn T. Badeau

Pulse Point – Emotional Intelligence – "Emotional Intelligence Unplugged: The Key to Thriving

"Emotional Intelligence Unplugged: The Key to Thriving in Today's Complex World”


Since it’s Emotional Intelligence Awareness Month, let’s talk about it! Emotional Intelligence (EQ or EI) is about better understanding yourself to better understand and work with others. The EQ-i 2.0 model I practice in is made up of 5 areas: Inner Self, Outward Expression, People Skills, Decision Making, and Resiliency. EQ is the “largest predictor of job success no matter your profession, estimated to account for 27-45% of your job success depending on the role. EQ is also not fixed and rises steadily with age. Furthermore, happiness both contributes to, and is a product of, emotional intelligence.”1 Given these facts alone, you can see how EQ is important for yourself personally and professionally.


To give you some additional perspective, I’ve included the 5 areas and 15 Emotional intelligence leadership skills and their high-level definitions below that I’ve learned through my EQ-i 2.0 training through MHS1:

  • Self-Perception or as I call it “Inner Self”

    • Perceive and express ourselves

    • 3 Leadership Skills:

      • Self-Regard

        • Respecting oneself; Confidence

      • Self-Actualization

        • Pursuit of meaning; Self-improvement

      • Emotional Self-Awareness

        • Understanding own emotions


  • Self-Expression or as I call it “Outward Expression”

    • Express our thoughts

    • 3 Leadership Skills:

      • Emotional Expression

        • Constructive expression of emotions

      • Assertiveness

        • Communicating feelings, beliefs; Non-offensive

      • Independence

        • Self-directed; Free from emotional dependency


  • Interpersonal or as I call it “People Skills”

    • Develop and maintain social relationships

    • 3 Leadership Skills

      • Interpersonal Relationships

        • Mutually satisfying relationships

      • Empathy

        • Understanding, appreciating how others feel

      • Social Responsibility

        • Social consciousness; Helpful


  • “Decision Making” (nope, I don’t call it by anything else as it’s straight forward)

    • Use emotional information in an effective and meaningful way

    • 3 Leadership Skills:

      • Problem Solving

        • Find solutions when emotions are involved

      • Reality Testing

        • Objective; See things as they really are

      • Impulse Control

        • Resist or delay impulse to act


  • Stress Management or as I call it “Resiliency”

    • Cope with challenges

    • 3 Leadership Skills:

      • Flexibility

        • Adapting emotions, thoughts, and behaviors

      • Stress Tolerance

        • Coping with stressful situations

      • Optimism

        • Positive attitude and outlook on life


I conduct trainings about EQ – if you are interested in bringing me in to speak with or train your team, please reach out to book a private session or look at my website for public event dates: https://www.badeauconsulting.com/events.


Since I love incorporating tools and technology, I thought I’d also see what ChatGPT had to say about living a more emotionally intelligent life. Check out the results below.


“Living a more emotionally intelligent life involves cultivating self-awareness, managing emotions effectively, understanding others, and building strong relationships. Here are some key aspects of living a more emotionally intelligent life:


Self-Awareness:

  • Recognizing and understanding your own emotions, including their causes and effects.

  • Acknowledging your strengths and areas for improvement without harsh self-criticism.

  • Being attuned to your values, beliefs, and motivations.


Emotional Regulation:

  • Managing your emotions in a healthy and constructive manner, rather than suppressing or exploding with them.

  • Cultivating resilience in the face of challenges and setbacks.

  • Finding healthy outlets for stress and negative emotions, such as exercise, mindfulness, or creative expression.


Empathy:

  • Sensing and understanding the emotions of others, and showing genuine interest in their perspectives.

  • Putting yourself in their shoes, even when you may not agree with them.

  • Responding to others' emotions in a supportive and compassionate manner.


Effective Communication:

  • Actively listening to others, giving them your full attention, and seeking to understand their point of view.

  • Expressing yourself clearly and assertively without being overly aggressive or passive.

  • Adjusting your communication style to suit different individuals and situations.


Conflict Resolution:

  • Approaching conflicts with a constructive mindset, aiming for a win-win outcome.

  • Avoiding blame and defensiveness, and instead, focusing on finding solutions and understanding the underlying issues.

  • Using active listening and empathy to defuse tense situations.


Decision-Making:

  • Considering your emotions and intuition alongside rational thinking when making decisions.

  • Being aware of potential biases and emotional triggers that could influence your choices.

  • Taking the time to reflect on decisions rather than reacting impulsively.


Mindfulness and Presence:

  • Cultivating mindfulness helps you stay present in the moment, fully experiencing your emotions without judgment.

  • Being aware of your body, emotions, and surroundings allows you to respond more consciously rather than reacting on autopilot.


Healthy Boundaries:

  • Knowing your limits and being able to assert them in a respectful and assertive manner.

  • Recognizing when to say "no" and when to seek support or delegate tasks.


Continuous Growth and Learning:

  • Emotionally intelligent individuals are open to self-improvement and personal development.

  • They seek out opportunities for learning, whether through books, workshops, therapy, or experiences.


Building Meaningful Relationships:

  • Fostering deep, authentic connections with others based on trust, respect, and mutual understanding.

  • Nurturing relationships through active listening, empathy, and open communication.


Living a more emotionally intelligent life is an ongoing journey that requires practice, self-reflection, and a commitment to personal growth. It involves recognizing the value of emotions in our lives and using them as a guide to navigate the complexities of human interaction with grace and wisdom.”2


Given this discussion of emotional intelligence, my question to you – what is one thing you plan to do to develop your EQ?


BONUS - To assess where you and your organization are in your employee engagement culture journey, download my “Culture Pulse: Employee Engagement Questionnaire” here: https://www.badeauconsulting.com/culturepulseeequestionnaire


Are you ready to dig into emotional intelligence, employee engagement, and leadership work? I am a People Success Strategist who uncomplicates leading humans so that we can inspire confidence back into your team. By tapping into their authentic human leadership potential, we create space for innovation and growth.


We do this through designing and implementing a system that fosters and protects a strong culture where employees are heard and understood from leadership down. In doing so, individual team members can gain confidence to bravely introduce innovative ideas and grow the company.


If you are ready to get started, please reach out to chat: https://www.badeauconsulting.com/.


I look forward to providing monthly pulse points to help you stay up to date with how the workplace culture scene is evolving.


Jaclyn Badeau is the Founder and President of Badeau Consulting. She specializes in employee engagement initiatives that help companies inspire confidence back into their team for innovation and growth. Jaclyn’s background in cultivating high performing teams, delivering coaching and mentoring, serving as a global business risk advisor, and facilitating internal and external leadership training to a global workforce gives her the unique perspective of what employees need and what works. She is also a multi award recipient and passionate about sharing her expertise and knowledge in volunteer advisory and leadership positions roles for many associations and not-for-profits.


About Pulse Point

Pulse Point is a monthly blog to stay up to date with how the workplace culture scene is evolving.







1 Multi-Health Systems Inc. (MHS)

2 OpenAI. (2021). ChatGPT: Large language model. Retrieved from https://chat.openai.com

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