Emotions show real intelligence

WHEN someone yells at Dr Barbara Penson she suffers a physiological reaction.
The aggression inherent in yelling reminds the principal of Catalyst Management Consultants of her father.
“I grew up in a home where the prime man yelled a lot,” she told a South East Women in Business function last Thursday afternoon.
“When a man yells I get upset, my heart pounds, and I know that belongs to my childhood.”
Her message was that the key to emotional intelligence is not only understanding emotional responses in others, but also in oneself.
“Emotional intelligence is really your own emotions and recognising those in others,” Dr Penson said.
Dr Penson specialises in helping reduce conflict and improve relationships in the workplace.
She highlighted Kevin Rudd as a example of an intelligent person who “lost his position due to his lack of emotional intelligence”.
Dr Penson said the keys to using emotional intelligence effectively hinged on being self-aware of one’s own emotions “recognising a feeling as it happens”.
She said other keys were managing emotions; being able to motive oneself and delay gratification; recognising emotion in others and handling relationships.
“Emotional intelligence underlines everything you do in the workplace.”
She said many companies searched for new recruits with high EI rather than a high IQ.
“It is a dangerous thing to have someone in the workplace who is totally unaware (of EI).”
– Narelle Coulter