In an increasingly technological society, it can be easy to forget or neglect the value of building and sustaining relationships. Some people just seem to have a knack for relating and connecting with others. We can often think that some people are naturally good at building a rapport and others just cannot seem to get it right. We often think that much like our Intelligence Quotient (IQ) or personality, our Emotional Quotient (EQ) is simply a product of our nature.
The authors of Emotional Intelligence 2.0, (Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves) show convincingly that our EQ can be improved. It takes work and diligence. We have to be willing to subject ourselves to a mentor who is genuinely interested in our personal and professional development. It will be messy at times and exciting at others, but we can all grow in our emotional intelligence.
The book describes how we can often fall into the trap of letting an emotional response cause us to lock up or freeze in our actions, but we can work through initial fear, anger, concern, or other real emotional reactions. When we allow ourselves to be taught, to pause and think, and carefully formulate response which shows clear thinking. Our knee-jerk reaction can be good in certain circumstances, understanding those times and knowing when to use a clearly thought out response takes time, experience, and a teachable humble attitude.
Read through this book, the initial ~55 pages give the necessary background and guides an understanding of the assessment results. After taking the initial assessment, the reader is provided with an outline of areas to focus and develop their emotional intelligence. Once time has passed and the work of development and growth has been progressing, you can then retake the assessment and see where there has been gains. Take the time to expand your emotional intelligence, it will help with relationship building throughout all facets of life.