Introduction
Emotional intelligence allows people to interact with others in meaningful ways since it helps to understand and utilize human emotions. There are five aspects of emotional intelligence that contribute to the person’s ability to empathize with people and communicate with them effectively. Three of these aspects are personal (motivation, self-regulation, and self-awareness), and two of them are social (empathy and social skills) (Goleman, 1995). Knowing the effects and prime features of emotional intelligence, I was able to recognize the instances in which people around me used it.
Discussion
One example of when a person I knew used emotional intelligence that stands out to me the most is the example of my friend’s behavior in a stressful situation. In class, she was confronted by another student who claimed that she had copied his work. She used her competency of self-regulation and did not become defensive or rude, although she was not guilty. She patiently listened to the complaints and said that she was sorry that this had happened and then made conclusive arguments as to why she did not do it. Her approach to the situation was laced with deep empathy since she seemed highly supportive and genuinely concerned for this person. That is why I believe she was able to convince the other students of her innocence.
Conclusion
I could use emotional intelligence to improve my relationships by working on my empathy as well. I believe it is essential for effective communication to be able to sense people’s emotions and be able to put myself in their position. If I can understand people on this profound level, I can offer them help without them needing to reach out to me. This, in turn, would improve my relationships with them and how we perceive each other.
References
Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional intelligence. Bantam Books.