Seven Signs You Lack Emotional Intelligence
Strengthening your emotional intelligence can greatly improve interactions in the workplace. A recent Harvard Business review article highlighted some telltale signs that you lack emotional intelligence:
- You often feel like others don’t get the point and it makes you impatient and frustrated.
- You’re surprised when others are sensitive to your comments or jokes and you think they’re overreacting.
- You think being liked at work is overrated.
- You weigh in early with your assertions and defend them with rigor.
- You hold others to the same high expectations you hold for yourself.
- You find others are to blame for most of the issues on your team.
- You find it annoying when others expect you to know how they feel.
The article also highlighted some strategies to help strengthen emotional intelligence:
- Get feedback. Ask others for feedback on your behavior. Listen to the feedback, understand it, and own it.
- Beware of the gap between intent and impact. Think about how your words will impact others. Determine if this is how you want to make others feel.
- Press the pause button. Pause to listen to yourself and others. Don’t immediately respond to situations. Take time to think about your actions.
- Wear both shoes. Understand situations from multiple perspectives. See both sides—your agenda and the other party’s agenda. This helps to establish empathy.