Emotional Intelligence. Some Principles.

Today I just want to share some principles that need to be considered to develop emotional intelligence.

1.       Each individual is unique. Each person will think and behave in a different way. As a consequence,

2.       Nobody can decide for you. You take your own decisions.

3.       No matter how critical the situation may be, there are always at least two options. That is why

4.       you always have the opportunity to choose so you are responsible for your choice.

5.       Feeling and doing are not the same. We, as human beings, have the capacity to reason. Even though we might have strong feelings about something or someone, we should not act out of instinct.

6.       Behaving and being are not the same. We should try to judge attitudes. That gives us the opportunity to negotiate possible changes. We cannot negotiate the essence of individuals.

7.       Reality can be seen from different perspectives. That implies that not everybody will see it alike.

8.       We need to differentiate facts from perceptions, inferences, assumptions, etc. Facts are objective and everybody will see them in the same way. Perceptions, inferences, assumptions, etc. allow for different perspectives.

9.       We need to develop empathy. We should be able to put ourselves in others’ shoes to understand their reasons.

10.   To be in balance, what we think, do and feel should be in harmony.