Emotional Intelligence

“We cannot tell what may happen to us in the strange medley of life. But we can decide what happens in us — how we can take it, what we do with it — and that is what really counts in the end.”

— Joseph Fort Newton

Working with people interested in public speaking most of them tell me how they want to get rid of emotions! And that would turn them into a computer speaking on a stage! We are emotions, we connect via emotions, emotions feed our relations. This is how we relate to speeches, movies or content = something moves us. I mentioned here about feelings and shared with you the emotions wheel. What is the difference between the two of them?

Feelings is how we experienced in a conscious way emotional reactions. Emotions are associated with reactions in body and they are activated via neurotransmitters. Hormones are released by the brain due to emotions.

A team in Finland conducted a study on 700 volunteers from Finland, Sweden and Taiwan to see how the emotions show up in the body. Lauri Nummenmaa, Enrico Glerean, Riitta Hari, and Jari Hietanen were the scientists that ran this simple computer experiment inviting the subjects to think of one of the 14 emotions: love, disgust, anger, pride and so on…you can read the paper on Bodily Mapping Emotions here.

Based on this experiment we now have and can show a body mapping of emotions, we can see how our body reacts different based on what the brain transmits. This is an easy way to understand why is important to be aware to what emotions do to us and to others at every point of our lives.

Picture courtesy to Lauri Nummenmaa, Enrico Glerean, Riitta Hari, and Jari Hietanen

The reason why I was away from this blog here was because in the past 2 months I was under heavy education. In order to get my learning hours for PCC (Professional Certified Coach) and fast track my ACC (Associated Certified Coach) I took the Advanced Module of Business Coaching Diploma that has a whole chapter dedicated to emotions in coaching. But I also used this time to become a certified facilitator for Genos EI (Emotional Intelligence). As a coach having tools and continuu education is something that has to do with my personal values not just becoming better for my clients and for those around me, but also for my own true self. These two educational programmes offered me more info on emotions, behaviours and how to work to increase my emotional intelligence why providing support to my clients.

With the crazy world these days I am grateful for the small things that keep me connected to some normal times when was just a far away subject. As always, for me is a shock that in these times and era we are still using guns instead of reason and words to make changes around us. Using my knowledges in resilience coaching to support my international clients was the only thing that I knew to offer as doing a small change towards a positive small impact.

Talking about how emotional intelligence can support oneself and our teams was maybe something that made me feel useful. The Genos model of Emotionally Intelligent Competencies is a way to move from an unproductive state to a productive one. From disconnected with self-awareness you become present and that will help you be productive. From an unproductive insensitive state working on your awareness of others you will reach a place of empathy, an so on. During my course I invited some people from my close circle to offer feedback over their perception on how I demonstrate emotionally intelligent behaviours. The invitation was to assess my 6 competencies behaviours as perceived by them: self-awareness, awareness to others, authenticity, emotional reasoning, self-management and positive influence, while offering qualitative feedback. Now working on improve them step by step with an action plan is something that everyone can do if they desire to do so - you can do that with a coach or on your own.

2 years ago I went to a workshop on neuroscience for coaches and did the Genos survey for the first time - and with the results and information from there i worked to improve how I demonstrate my emotional intelligence with an action plan and clear actions in mind. I compared the results that I got 2 years ago to those from now and I love to see the changes and how my close ones perceive me, but also how I perceive myself. For me is important to create a space of safety for those around me - at work, in friendships and in my coaching activity. But also on top of that is important for me to be well with myself and after the results - Brain Fm is again on my playlist in order to support my mental health and come to a place of balance. 2 years ago I wrote down (filled with emotions) my 5 years plan and in that one point was that I will become a certified Genos Practitioner - today after working for this - I am.

My goal is to be the red-orange human as much as possible - what is your goal emotional speaking?


Photo: Alexas Fotos on Unsplash