Work related stress is unhealthy for individuals and negative for organisations particularly when it results in time off due to stress and a loss in productivity. The Health and Safety Executive collated statistics in the Labour Force Survey based on stress in the workplace in Great Britain* and found that the total number of work related stress cases was 440,000 in 2014/15 with stress accounting for 35% of work related ill health and 43% of all working days lost due to ill health. These are significant statistics showing just how much people are affected by stress and impact that this can have. It is therefore vital to understand stress and find ways to manage and copy with stressful situations.

Stress management is one of the composite scales in the EQ-i 2.0 emotional intelligence model and is comprised of flexibility, street tolerance and optimism.

Flexibility relates to how flexible you are and capable of adapting emotions, thoughts and behaviours to situations or ideas that are unfamiliar or unpredictable.

Stress tolerance is the ability to cope with stressful situations and having the belief that you can manage or influence the situation.

Optimism relates to attitude and outlook in life, understanding how to remain positive, hopeful and resilient even when things do not always go as expected.

A person that understands their emotions when confronted with situations that are out of their control usually remains calm and controlled, is rarely impulsive and can cope well under pressure. This is the type of person that you need to have a clear head when important decisions need making. They have a way of coping with change and the unexpected and generally display an optimistic, positive attitude and approach, knowing how to cope with any situation.
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The EQ-i 2.0 report includes stress management and gives an indicator where a person is on the scale allowing them the opportunity to reflect and understand how they react in certain situations and allow them to consider steps which will help them be more resilient to change and identify actions that they can put in place in the future. The EQ-i 2.0 is a powerful development tool extremely useful in understanding all the elements that make up emotional intelligence, allowing an individual to develop and increase their emotional intelligence in specific areas.

​For more information about the EQ-i 2.0 check out the page on the web site, or if you are interested in being coached and finding out more about your own emotional intelligence or introducing it into your organisation contact us to arrange a 1-2-1 session. Should you wish to become an expert and be able to coach other people in emotional intelligence, you could take the emotional intelligence certification. Understanding emotional intelligence is a skill that can be developed once an individual has an awareness of their emotions and the effect of them on themselves and others.

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In her book, ‘Strengths Profile’, Bateman explains that people with a greater degree of empathy are finely tuned into other people and can feel what they are experiencing. She goes on to say that it is about seeing things from other people’s points of view and considering what you might do if you were in their shoes.

Leaders with high empathy are skilled at understanding the challenges faced by their teams. They have a natural ability to step away from their own impulses and pressures to truly put themselves in the driving seat of the other person. Therefore, building special relationships with people using the strength of empathy is so important in the workplace. It leads to two-way connection and an understanding and appreciation of another’s’ emotional state.

When empathy becomes problematic…

Whilst empathy is a great strength to have, it can become problematic when it is at the expense of your own thoughts and feelings. People strong in empathy and less so in their own self-regard may put the needs of others before themselves and if this occurs too much, a person can feel the weight of the world on their shoulders. If this sounds like you, take some time out for yourself. Bateman advises that you should ‘protect your emotions by distancing yourself and remembering that you have your own needs to attend to, too.’

Want to develop your empathy? Think about who you admire for their empathy. Be it someone in the workplace or a celebrity.

How do they project this strength?
​How could you use this?

Learning to stand in somebody else’s shoes. to see through their eyes, that’s how peace begins. And it’s up to you to make that happen. Empathy is a quality of character that can change the world.

Barack Obama

The post How empathy is the quality of character that can change everything. appeared first on ThinkEQ.

As Jean De La Fontaine said in 1679 “He who knows the universe and does not himself, knows nothing.”

The EQ-i 2.0 model starts by examining the intra-personal realm and focuses on three sub-scales within self-perception:

• self-regard – inner strength and self-confidence
• self-actualisation – pursuit of persistently improving oneself
• emotional self-awareness – awareness and understanding of one’s emotions

Self-perception is the foundation of the model and it is only by exploring this area that you can understand the rationale behind your actions and the impact that it might have on others. These three sub-scales assess inner feelings relating to strength and confidence, the pursuit of self-improvement and explore how emotions have an impact on thoughts and resulting actions.
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Being self-aware enables any potential areas for development to be identified. This is particularly important in the workplace where effective interpersonal relationships and working well in teams is fundamental. The EQ-i 2.0 emotional intelligence development tool provides key insights into your own behaviour allowing you to take a step back and reflect on your reactions to certain situations.

The post How Well do you Know Yourself? appeared first on ThinkEQ.