Self-Regulation Is a Big Part Of EQ

This week I want to further explore a deep secret that the world’s best leaders all know, and all the others that toil in the land of mediocrity say is a bunch of “Fluff!”: Developing your Emotional Intelligence or “EQ”.

High EQ = High Results

EQ has been studied for years. What is known about it is that what we call Emotional Intelligence is what we have developed in our Limbic Brains – the part of our brains that has been developed over the last hundreds of thousands of years or so… It is where all of our “feelings” are centered. Intuition. Emotions.

Leaders that have a ‘high level of EQ’ consistently over-delivered on their objectives – and it does not matter where in the world they are or what industries they are in. While leaders with ‘low levels of EQ’ consistently under perform on their objectives.? Coincidence?…

High EQ Needs Self-Awareness and Self-Regulation

The first key ingredient in developing better EQ is ‘Self-Awareness.’? The ability to understand what or how certain situations make you feel or behave.

The next ingredient is ‘Self-Regulation.’? The ability to choose your response to certain situations or control what may seem like a natural response or a response that you would have had in the past.

For example…

You are in your car.? Traffic is flowing.? You are enjoying a cup of coffee.? Without warning, another driver changes lanes in front of you and cuts you off.? You have to slam on your brakes.? You spill your coffee!? How does that make you feel (Self Awareness)?? Can you feel your blood pressure and heart rate increase (fight or flight response)? What is your natural reaction to the situation?? Do you honk your horn?? Do you instantly go into “Road Rage” and want revenge on the offending driver (who, by the way, is probably completely oblivious to what just happened)?? Or, do you take a deep breath, smile and carry on?? This is self-regulation.

Take a Deep Breath and Carry On

The world’s best leaders have amazing self-regulation.? They do not panic in a crisis.? They do not yell and scream or kick garbage cans over and they do not throw an office chair through a window (I have seen that).? They seek first to understand what is going on and why and then, they choose the best response for the situation.

Get to work on your EQ.? Start by getting a deep understanding about how you feel when you are presented with a variety of situations and then… develop a world-class approach to how you respond to each situation. When you do, watch your leadership stock value dramatically increase!

Robert Murray is a Vancouver, BC based?Business Strategy Consultant,?#1 Best Selling Author, and?International Keynote Speaker.