Emotional Intelligence

I’ve touched on the subject of emotional intelligence a couple of times in this blog (here and here), but it’s such a fascinating topic that it bears addition discussion. Why You Need Emotional Intelligence to Succeed includes excellent graphics that capture the highlights. A large part of being effective has to do with what you see in yourself and in interactions with others. If we believe this, how do we incorporate it into our daily and weekly practices?

We are so busy and constantly wired in, filling every little bit of time with interactions on our mobile devices, that sometimes person-to-person connections get the short shrift. Recently I did an experiment to test how invested I am in the relationship with my cell phone. I challenge you to do the same.

1. Set the timer on your phone for 30 minutes.
2. Do not touch your phone until the timer goes off.

What happened? Did you feel anxious (as I did) to not be in possession of your phone for more than a few minutes?

I love the productivity and convenience of mobile devices, and they are crucial to my work. However, I also think there is a balance. To be truly effective, we also need to be self-aware and socially aware. We need to make space (time and place) in our lives to think and to engage with others and the world around us. Let’s regain the ability to be away from our devices and not experience withdrawal symptoms. I’m working on it!