Lesson 1: The Four Domains of Emotional Intelligence
Learning Objectives
Discuss the four domains of emotional intelligence (EI).
Lesson Introduction
Think back to the best leaders you have worked with. What qualities did they display? How did you feel when you were in their presence? Why did you want to follow their directives and help them achieve the organization’s vision?
An emotionally intelligent leader inspires others to work toward a common vision.
Photo by Author, Unsplash is licensed under Unsplash License
Leaders who possess emotional intelligence are keenly self-aware and understand how their actions and words affect other people. They also understand how important it is to regulate their own emotions even when conflicts arise. They may be the “calm in the storm” for others. Often, emotionally intelligent individuals inspire others through their skills in building rapport quickly; they can relate to others regardless of their background, experiences, or position.
Emotional intelligence consists of four domains: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. This lesson will concentrate on the details of these four domains and the competencies associated with each one.
What Is Emotional Intelligence?
Emotional intelligence is a relatively new concept. It should not be confused with cognitive intelligence. While cognitive intelligence denotes skills associated with problem-solving and understanding information, emotional intelligence is more subtle. If someone possesses a high degree of cognitive intelligence as measured by IQ tests, it is easy to assume that the person is intelligent in all areas. This may not be true. It is important to remember that there are many ways to measure intelligence. EQ tests measure emotional intelligence. But what exactly is it?
Research scientists Peter Salovey and John Mayer describe emotional intelligence as “a form of social intelligence that involves the ability to monitor one’s own and others’ feelings and emotions, to discriminate among them, and to use this information to guide one’s thinking and action” (Salovey & Mayer, 1990).
It is helpful to think of emotional intelligence as being composed of four domains. Following is a list that outlines what comprises these domains.
1. Self-Awareness
Emotional self-awareness denotes the ability to know yourself and understand your feelings.
2. Self-Management
Emotional self-control is a core component of emotional maturity; the ability to control your feelings and express them appropriately is a fundamental aspect of self-management.
Achievement orientation refers to how goal-oriented you are and your ability to work toward your goals.
Adaptability refers to how resilient you are and your ability and willingness to change course when necessary.
Positive outlook is a term that connotes your view of the world. Do you hope for the best and prepare for success?
3. Social Awareness
Empathy is the ability to form connections with others while understanding and acknowledging their emotions and points of view.
Organizational awareness denotes the ability to effectively articulate your own perspective and sense whether your message is getting across and making an impact.
4. Relationship Management
Inspirational leadership should be a familiar term; it connotes good mentorship, admirable modeling, and your ability to bring out great qualities in others.
Influence is a term that involves articulating points in persuasive, clear ways that effectively motivate others.
Conflict management is the practice of skills that improve relationships while settling disputes, differences of opinion, and misunderstandings.
Coach and mentor is a single term for two processes that help others build their skills and knowledge.
Teamwork and collaboration is a single term that denotes your ability to work with others in an effective manner.
(Goleman, 1998)
Emotional intelligence can be separated into four domains and within those domains are sets of competencies.
© 2019 WGU
“Introduction to Emotional Intelligence” (2:11)
Watch “Introduction to Emotional Intelligence” by Daniel Goleman.
Daniel Goleman shares the four dimensions of emotional intelligence and discusses why it is key to high performance.
Goleman, D. (2019). Introduction to emotional intelligence. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/8C7mtw-a2j4
Learning Check
A company initiates a recycling campaign on its campus. After watching an employee toss recyclable materials into the trash, a manager speaks with the employee and explains that everyone must do their part to reduce the impact of waste on the environment. The manager then expresses appreciation for the employee’s contribution to a clean and sustainable campus.
Which domain of emotional intelligence (EI) is the manager using?
Self-awareness
Social awareness
Relationship management
Self-management
Nextquestion
Hierarchy of Emotional Skills and Abilities
The first step in achieving proficiency in emotional intelligence is to be aware of your own emotional states. In short, by perceiving what you are thinking and feeling, you begin to calm your mind and become less needy and less reliant on external conditions to feel calm and in control. You begin to know how and why you feel the way you feel. Think of a time when you or a co-worker felt justifiable resentment toward a colleague or leader. Ask yourself if being in an ongoing reactive state of anger helped you or someone else navigate the situation over time. Can you perceive what is happening now if you are thinking about past events?
When emotions run high, it is useful to know how to monitor your thoughts so you can redirect thinking that is generating negative emotions. It is critical that you remember to breathe and pause to gather yourself before reacting. You may need to find new ways to jump-start emotional states that facilitate more skillful cognitive processes. Over time you become more adept at creating an emotional state. Becoming proficient in this area is the second step.
The third step involves developing a deeper understanding of your more complex emotional life and expressing emotions and needs accurately and appropriately. If you are practicing self-awareness and self-management then you are already able to discern accurate, honest feelings and inaccurate, dishonest feelings in yourself. Awareness and the ability to use your emotions to your advantage means taking into consideration how emotions affect your thinking and your relationships. You perceive the causes and consequences of emotions, while recognizing the complexity of your emotional life. A deep understanding also means you know that feelings, moods, and emotions are transitory so you can achieve a mastery of them.
Think again of a time when you or someone you know was angry. If you were able to clear your mind of the need to blame others for how you felt, did it become easier to feel better and confront reality?
When you complete the final step in the process, managing emotions, you will be able to:
be open to both pleasant and unpleasant feelings;
monitor and reflect on your emotions;
engage, prolong, or detach from an emotional state; and
learn to manage emotions within yourself.
(Emmerling, Shanwal, & Mandal, 2008; Mayer & Salovey, 1997).
Emotional intelligence is defined by your ability to recognize, use, understand, and manage the emotions of yourself and others.
© 2019 WGU
Emotional Intelligence as a Job Skill
A CareerBuilder survey showed that the majority of the professionals surveyed placed more value on EQ than IQ. In fact, three-fourths of respondents said that emotionally intelligent workers are more likely to receive a promotion. Fifty-nine percent claimed that low emotional intelligence would not be overlooked even if the candidate presents with a high IQ (CareerBuilder, 2011).
The strategies associated with emotional intelligence help you manage conflict, reduce stress, and improve your overall chances of success. When you are able to effectively manage conflict and stress, you can turn your energies and focus on attaining your goals rather than getting distracted by people and circumstances beyond your control. Emotional intelligence helps you respond to your environment in productive and positive ways. In turn, you reap the benefits of increased morale, high levels of sustained motivation, and increased cooperation (Strickland, 2000).
It is not difficult to see why emotional intelligence is valued. Whenever people work together, there is bound to be a certain amount of conflict ranging from mild disagreements to anger and resentment. Emotionally intelligent people are able to maintain self-composure in difficult circumstances and make their case in a professional and respectful way. They are not easily thrown off-kilter, and they are less likely to harbour grudges or resentments. They move forward in ways that are conducive to the success of the bigger picture.
“Emotional Intelligence at Work: Why IQ Isn’t Everything” (4:14)
Watch “Emotional Intelligence at Work: Why IQ Isn’t Everything.”
Emotional intelligence (EQ) is as important, and perhaps more important, than IQ when it comes to career success.
Goleman, D. (2018). Emotional intelligence at work: Why IQ isn’t everything. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/7ngIFlmRRPQ
Learning Check
An irate customer approaches the customer service counter at a store and complains loudly about a missing part in a product. The associate understands that the customer is upset and purposefully does not respond in anger or let emotions take over. The associate speaks with the manager to process a refund.
Which part of the emotional intelligence (EI) process is being used by this associate to resolve the situation?
Learning to understand one’s own emotions during the customer exchange
Engaging and detaching from an emotional state with the customer
Reacting to the unpleasant feelings expressed by the customer
Monitoring and reflecting on the customer’s emotions before acting
Nextquestion
IQ versus EQ
Do you know someone who always wants to be seen as the smartest person in the room? Perhaps that is because for a long time a huge value was placed on IQ and the ability to solve problems logically and rationally.
Daniel Goleman posited in his book Emotional Intelligence that EQ (Emotional Intelligence Quotient) might be more important than IQ (Goleman, 1996). As you have read, emotionally intelligent people have the capacity to monitor themselves and to build strong relationships that are sustainable. When you think of what makes someone a successful leader, the ability to inspire others and to attract a followership may come to mind. After all, you cannot be much of a leader if you have a difficult time getting along with others. Just because someone is highly intelligent does not guarantee success in business or life.
Interestingly, Harvard psychologist Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences is from 1983. His theory has had a huge impact on the classroom including adult education. In brief, he argued against a single intelligence (such as that measured by IQ tests) and identified several modalities of intelligence. Two of those modalities were interpersonal and intrapersonal (Gardner, 1983).
This is not to diminish the importance of IQ because those abilities are much needed in the world and society. Generally speaking, IQ tests measure a person’s ability to:
use knowledge to solve problems
analyze and reason
understand abstract concepts
perceive and interpret spatial information
use numbers and perform calculations
EQ measures a person’s capacity for self-awareness and the awareness of others, ability to relate to others, and skill with managing emotions regardless of circumstances.
EQ is centered on the following abilities:
identifying emotions
evaluating how others feel
controlling one’s own emotions
perceiving how others feel
using emotions to facilitate social communication
relating to others
Today, employers look for high EQ because many organizations are “flat” and rely on individuals collaborating in cross-functional teams to get work done. In many organizations, the “how” you do your job is measured as well as the “what” you accomplish.
Knowledge and the ability to solve problems is important, but EQ is highly regarded because it allows workers to achieve more through collaborative efforts that leverage the expertise and experience of each team member.
Solid relationships with others mean you can influence others as well as listen and consider perspectives that may be foreign to you, at least in the beginning. Broadening our worldview encourages creativity and innovation (Strickland, 2000).
IQ does not involve others while EQ is centered on how well connected someone is to other people.
© 2019 WGU
Essential Reading
“EQ vs. IQ”
Read “EQ vs. IQ” (opens new tab) by Lina Amin.
This text discusses the differences between EQ and IQ and the signs that a person has a high EQ.
I read it.
“The Power of EQ and IQ” (10:39)
Watch “The Power of EQ and IQ” by TEDxTalks.
Mac McElhaney gives a fresh perspective on the importance of EQ in this TEDxTalk.
McElhaney, M. (2016). The power of EQ and IQ. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/GoYr9H_56dE
Lesson Summary
Take a moment to think about what you have learned in this lesson:
Emotional intelligence is comprised of four domains: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. These are listed in the order that represents a hierarchy of lowest to highest.
Emotional intelligence competencies include emotional self-awareness and self-control, adaptation, achievement orientation, positive outlook, empathy, conflict management, teamwork, inspiring leadership, and influence.
IQ is a measure of cognitive abilities; EQ is a measure of emotional intelligence.
IQ alone does not guarantee career success; a lack of emotional intelligence competencies has been shown to derail a significant percentage of careers.
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