I believe EQ is one skill that every profession demands.
I find having high EQ essential to thinking clearly and making good decisions in marketing. Without it, you allow your emotions to cloud your vision, and you cannot produce good marketing.
Also, by growing in EQ, you will grow in your appreciation for emotions and their role. This then leaks into how you think about marketing to your customer as they also have emotions and makes you more competent in addressing those emotions.
That's why I read every book I can on EQ and where better to learn about it than in the most hostile and emotionally draining field; healthcare. So, if you want to improve EQ, I would recommend reading this book.
The book: Healthcare EQ by Robert Driver, MD and Dr. Izzy Justice.
Why you should read: To understand EQ on a deeper level and learn practical techniques to improve EQ.
TL;DR: Healthcare EQ provides a clear understanding of EQ, why it's critically important for clinicians (and everyone), and how you can improve it through practical exercises.
The main points:
Point 1: Emotions run the show
"Everything in your body and brain is dictated first by your emotions."
If you are upset, your actions and thinking will resemble that. That's why EQ matters. If you want to perform better and have a better life, you need to understand and master EQ.
"Your ability (as a clinician) to make decisions is the centerpiece to optimal performance, since without it, you are guaranteed to underperform."
Point 2: While there is physical strength, there is also emotional strength
We've all heard people refer to the brain as a muscle. But have you ever thought about your ability to remain emotionally in control as a muscle to strengthen?
Emotional strength is the amount of time it takes to convert a negative thought (stimuli) to a positive one. And the quicker and more effective you are with doing this, the better off you will be.
Someone with emotional strength appears to be calm and collected, unaffected by external stressors. Wouldn't that be nice to experience?
Point 3: There are three levels of emotional clarity
Green = You are emotionally clear, and you are not affected by emotions
Yellow = You are slightly emotional, resulting in your decisions and actions being tainted by your mild emotional state
Red = You are fully engaged with the emotion (i.e., anger) and will make a poor decision based on your current emotional state.
"The first step in increasing your EQ is to learn to take your emotional temperature."
The key is understanding which level you are in and, if not in green, using techniques to bring yourself back to green.
Only when you are in the green will you make your best decisions and perform to your greatest ability.
Point 4: A key to remaining in control of your emotions is presence
Matt Killingsworth found– through a study–that most humans have their minds wandering 60% of the time. When your mind is wandering, and you're not present, it's challenging to remain in the green.
When you are upset, angry, or sad, a key to pulling yourself out of those emotions is to feel grounded, focus on one thing through your senses, or breathe (in the now).
The main quotes:
"EQ manifests itself in both the workplace and life as it is the ability to listen, manage conflict, and collaborate to solve problems."
"Actively engaging the senses is a powerful technique to stay the proverbial present, and to keep your self-awareness at a high state of alert."
The main question:
How can I improve my emotional strength? How can I become more in control of my emotions and not the other way around?
⚔️
While you may ignore this book because you don't work in healthcare, don't. I was hesitant to read but learned a lot.
Both in terms of EQ and about healthcare which is something we all interact with. The stories in the book are powerful and show EQ being used in the most important setting of all.
Even if you skim this book, its exercises are invaluable and will provide you with a proven way to improve EQ and emotional strength.
