A well known benefit of developing high Emotional Intelligence, especially for managers, is the greater ability to engage and motivate the people they work with.
Another less well known benefit of having great EQ is it can help in effective stress management, or in other words, to bring our stress to a comfortable level. This is the goal of many managers who feel that they are facing too much stress at work.
But how can Emotional Intelligence help in stress management? There are three ways.
Our emotions are good indicators of our stress level. If we are aware of our own emotions, we can identify the signs of unusually high stress earlier. Then we can take steps to relax or to control our emotions, and avoid further stress.
For example, getting angry ten times in one single day at our team members, peers, or other people we interact with is most likely not a sign that they have suddenly become more annoying or incapable. It is more likely to be a sign that our level of stress has increased, and that our tolerance for anything that doesn't go our way has decreased.
Self-management, the second dimension of Emotional Intelligence, also helps decrease our stress. Self-management is our ability to prevent the waves of our negative emotions from rising too high. An example of self-management is keeping our sadness or anger from reaching an intensity when we can not function and work normally, and when it can even be painful.
Such high emotional waves further escalates stress in two ways.
First, stress is amplified by the feeling that we are "losing control". And then it can be accompanied by guilt…and even more stress.
Secondly, decisions we make during these emotional waves are usually not well-thought and usually bring us more trouble and more stress. For example, decisions we make during an episode of anger are can be expected to result to extra work to repair "collateral damages"。
Social awareness, the third dimension of Emotional Intelligence decreases stress by lessening interpersonal conflicts in the workplace. One serious conflict with one of our team members or peers can eat up a tremendous amount of our energy and result to a lot of stress.
How exactly does better social awareness lead to less conflicts? Social awareness is the ability to recognize emotions in other people, and to handle them resourcefully. In situations when conflicts can easily arise, this skill is particularly useful. By identifying the emotions in our counterpart and then acknowledging these emotions, we can prevent a disagreement from turning into an open personal conflict.
As a conclusion, if you are feeling that you are too stressed, I encourage you to look at how you could develop your Emotional Intelligence further.
There are several other ways to bring your level of stress down, like working on your time management or the way you delegate, or using effective relaxation techniques. But improving your Emotional Intelligence is a way you can count on.
相关单词：indicators
indicators解释：（仪器上显示温度、压力、耗油量等的）指针( indicator的名词复数 )； 指示物； （车辆上的）转弯指示灯； 指示信号
indicators例句：
The economic indicators are better than expected. 经济指标比预期的好。
It is still difficult to develop indicators for many concepts used in social science. 为社会科学领域的许多概念确立一个指标仍然很难。
相关单词：incapable
incapable解释：adj.无能力的，不能做某事的
incapable例句：
He would be incapable of committing such a cruel deed.他不会做出这么残忍的事。
Computers are incapable of creative thought.计算机不会创造性地思维。
相关单词：tolerance
tolerance解释：n.宽容；容忍，忍受；耐药力；公差
tolerance例句：
Tolerance is one of his strengths.宽容是他的一个优点。
Human beings have limited tolerance of noise.人类对噪音的忍耐力有限。
相关单词：intensity
intensity解释：n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度
intensity例句：
I didn't realize the intensity of people's feelings on this issue.我没有意识到这一问题能引起群情激奋。
The strike is growing in intensity.罢工日益加剧。
相关单词：escalates
escalates解释：v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的第三人称单数 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大
escalates例句：
As the challenge escalates, the need for teamwork elevates. 面临的挑战越大，越需要团队协同合作。 来自互联网
I cannot understand why a minor disagreement escalates into a fist-fight. 我真不明白为什么一点意见不合就变成了拳头相见。 来自互联网
相关单词：amplified
amplified解释：放大，扩大( amplify的过去式和过去分词 )； 增强； 详述
amplified例句：
He amplified on his remarks with drawings and figures. 他用图表详细地解释了他的话。
He amplified the whole course of the incident. 他详述了事件的全过程。
相关单词：secondly
secondly解释：adv.第二，其次
secondly例句：
Secondly,use your own head and present your point of view.第二，动脑筋提出自己的见解。
Secondly it is necessary to define the applied load.其次，需要确定所作用的载荷。
相关单词：collateral
collateral解释：adj.平行的；旁系的；n.担保品
collateral例句：
Many people use personal assets as collateral for small business loans.很多人把个人财产用作小额商业贷款的抵押品。
Most people here cannot borrow from banks because they lack collateral.由于拿不出东西作为抵押，这里大部分人无法从银行贷款。
相关单词：awareness
awareness解释：n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智
awareness例句：
There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。
相关单词：lessening
lessening解释：减轻，减少，变小
lessening例句：
So however much he earned, she spent it, her demands growing and lessening with his income. 祥子挣多少，她花多少，她的要求随着他的钱涨落。 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子
The talks have resulted in a lessening of suspicion. 谈话消减了彼此的怀疑。
相关单词：relaxation
relaxation解释：n.松弛，放松；休息；消遣；娱乐
relaxation例句：
The minister has consistently opposed any relaxation in the law.部长一向反对法律上的任何放宽。
She listens to classical music for relaxation.她听古典音乐放松。
