People with low EQ often struggle to understand and control their emotions. They might lash out reactively without understanding what they are really feeling or why they are so upset. A person who lacks EQ might also have unexpected emotional outbursts that seem overblown and uncontrollable.
Low emotional intelligence could result from a medical condition like alexithymia or autism. It can also be a consequence of a mental health condition or addiction.
People who fail to use their emotional intelligence skills are more likely to turn to other, less effective means of managing their mood. They are twice as likely to experience anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and even thoughts of suicide.
Having low EI means that a person has difficulty recognizing and understanding their emotions and those of others. People with low EI may also have poor emotion regulation and find it difficult to use their emotions to attain personal goals.
When you're emotionally intelligent, you understand yourself at a deeper level. That means recognizing both your strengths and your weaknesses. You're confident about what you contribute and where you need help from others. You're also in tune with your emotions.
Being able to say no when you need to. Being able to share your feelings with others. Being able to solve problems in ways that work for everyone. Having empathy for other people.
Emotionally intelligent people know exactly what makes them happy, and they constantly work to bring this happiness into everything they do. They turn monotonous work into games, go the extra mile to make people they care about happy, and take breaks to enjoy the things they love no matter how busy they are.
Some narcissists have supreme confidence in themselves, and also have the emotional intelligence — the ability to read people and to act accordingly — to nurture lasting allies. At the extreme of both, such a person could be a presidential candidate or a manipulative sociopath — or both.
Most coaching interventions try to enhance some aspect of EQ, usually under the name of social, interpersonal, or soft skills training. The underlying reasoning is that, whereas IQ is very hard to change, EQ can increase with deliberate practice and training.
Some people are born with a naturally high Emotional Intelligence (EQ), and some have a naturally high IQ. While you cannot improve a person's IQ, fortunately, you can learn the skills to improve your EQ.
The good news for those of you who may be struggling with emotional intelligence is that, from my own observations AND from the available evidence to back it up, the people who claim that it is inherited are wrong. Emotional intelligence can most definitely be learnt!
If a person is on the low end of the emotional intelligence spectrum, he or she may have a condition known as alexithymia. Alexithymia is the inability to understand or express emotion.
Emotional intelligence is the ability to accurately identify your own emotions, as well as those of others according to Psychology Today. It also includes the ability to utilize emotions and apply them to tasks, as well as manage your own emotions... while influencing the emotions of others in a positive way.
Emotionally intelligent people tend to respond appropriately to emotional situations, and don't tend to have outbursts or lash out at others. They tend to be more even-tempered, to think clearly under pressure, and to take the time to feel their way through a problem rather than reacting in the moment.
A recent study out of the University of California, Berkeley shows that our EQ generally rises steadily throughout our working lives, peaking at the mature age of 60.
Just like with IQ scores, an EQ score of 100 is considered average; 115 is awesome, but 85 indicates there are some challenges.
Average EQ is 75.
Across all industries and professions, the average EQ score people receive on the Emotional Intelligence Appraisal® is 75 on a 100-point scale.