Emotional intelligence (EQ) is the ability to identify and regulate one’s emotions and understand the emotions of others. A high level of EQ may not come naturally to everyone, but it can be learned, nurtured, and continually improved upon. A strong EQ helps you to build relationships, reduce stress, defuse conflict, and improve satisfaction in your professional and personal life. In this session, Maura will discuss how EQ can positively (and negatively) affect client and personal relationships, leadership roles, and personal and professional success. We’ll discuss strategies for improving your EQ, your personal outlook and mindset, and real, workable strategies to improve relationships, make the most of your leadership role, and do better business.

Thank you for attending this session — I hope you find the follow-up reading useful and informative! Please reach out if I can be of further assistance!

You can access a copy of my slides, here.

FREE SELF-ASSESSMENT TOOLS: As with any self-assessment tool, be sure you answer as you truly feel, not as you feel you should. In other words, be honest with yourself. The point is to find out more about yourself in a safe space and to focus on self-improvement; after all, you do not need to share your results with anyone, so be honest, authentic, and open in your answers so that you can gain the most benefit from the results!

• MindTools.com EQ Self-Assessment – A great tool for a simple assessment of your emotional intelligence and some steps to improvement. (15 questions, approximately 5 minutes)
• Rebel Talents’ Rebel Assessment – How much of a rebel are you? This is a fantastic test to see how rebellious you are in your problem-solving skills…and how to make the most of that talent! (30 questions, approximately 15 minutes)
• Moral Alignment Test – Originating with the Dungeons and Dragons role-playing game, the 9 moral alignments which describe a person’s moral and ethical outlook have gained a cult following on the internet. Find your moral alignment in this quick and intuitive self-test. (24 questions, approximately 15 minutes)
• Emotional Intelligence Quiz – From the Institute for Health and Human Potential, which is dedicated to helping organizations leverage the science of emotional intelligence. They understand a great deal about what it takes to perform under pressure. (17 questions, approximately 15 minutes)
• Psychology Today’s Emotional Intelligence Test – The most in-depth of the free self-assessments I’ve found online, this emotional intelligence test will evaluate several aspects of your emotional intelligence and suggest ways to improve it. The test is comprehensive, asking multiple questions to ensure the assessment’s accuracy. (146 questions, approximately 45 minutes)

RECOMMENDED READING:

• Intelligence is Overrated: What You Really Need to Succeed, Forbes
• How to lead — and succeed — with emotional intelligence, Fast Company
• Why You Need Emotional Intelligence to Succeed in Business, Entrepreneur
• 4 Habits of Emotionally Intelligent Real Estate Agents, Inman
• The Multi-Hyphen Life: Work Less, Create More, and Design a Life That Works For You, by Emma Gannon (buy it here)
• Emotional intelligence is more than a buzzword — it’s a requirement for a return to life, Fast Company