Emotional intelligence (EQ) is often structured around four core skills, divided into two primary competencies: personal and social competence. These core skills are essential for understanding and applying emotional intelligence in various aspects of life, including personal development and professional success. The four core skills are:

Personal Competence

This competence comprises self-awareness and self-management skills, focusing on your own emotions and behaviors:

1. Self-Awareness – This is the ability to recognize and understand your own emotions, strengths, weaknesses, values, and drivers, and how they affect your thoughts and behaviors. Self-awareness enables you to understand your emotional responses to specific situations and recognize the impact of your emotions on others.
2. Self-Management – Also known as self-regulation, this skill involves controlling and appropriately directing your emotions. It enables you to manage your emotional reactions in different situations, adapt to changing circumstances, follow through on commitments, and take initiative when needed. Self-management is crucial for handling stress, overcoming challenges, and maintaining a positive attitude.

Social Competence

This competence encompasses social awareness and relationship management skills, focusing on your interactions and relationships with others…

3. Social Awareness – This skill involves understanding and empathizing with others, including recognizing and appreciating the emotions, needs, and concerns of other people. Social awareness allows you to navigate social environments effectively, pick up on emotional cues in group dynamics, and understand social networks and norms within various settings.
4. Relationship Management – This is the ability to develop and maintain good relationships, communicate clearly, inspire and influence others, work well in a team, and manage conflict effectively. Relationship management is essential for leadership, teamwork, and interpersonal communication, as it involves handling others’ emotions in a way that respects their needs while achieving desired outcomes.

These four core skills of emotional intelligence are interrelated and build upon one another. Enhancing these skills can lead to improved personal insight, more effective communication, stronger relationships, better leadership abilities, and increased success in navigating the social complexities of both personal and professional environments.