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5 Characteristics of Emotional Intelligence


5 Characteristics Emotional Intelligence

The balance and depth of emotions is critical to leading a happy and healthy life. In fact, we propose—along with many others—that your emotional intelligence, or EI, is as important, if not more, than your IQ. A person’s EI is defined as the ability to identify, use, understand, and manage emotion. It encompasses the following five characteristics and abilities:

1. Self-awareness—knowing your emotions, recognizing feelings as they occur, and discriminating between them
2. Self-regulation—handling feelings so they are relevant to the current situation and reacting appropriately; essentially, this is mood management
3. Self-motivation—using your emotions to direct yourself toward a goal, despite self-doubt, inertia, and impulsiveness
4. Empathy—recognizing feelings in others and tuning into their verbal and nonverbal cues
5. Social skill—managing relationships, such as handling interpersonal interaction, conflict resolution, and negotiations

1. Self-Awareness
  • Definition: Knowing one’s emotions, strengths, weaknesses, drives, values, and goals and their impact on others
  • Hallmarks: Self-confidence, realistic self-assessment, self-deprecating sense of humor, thirst for constructive criticism
  • Example: You recognize that you don’t perform your best in the evening hours so you make arrangements to solve problems and get work done during your best performance time
  • Essential Oil Support: Bergamot, Lavender, Wild Orange, Marjoram, Melissa, Frankincense, Clary Sage, Balance
2. Self-Management
  • Definition: Managing or knowing how to redirect disruptive emotions and impulses
  • Hallmarks: Trustworthiness, integrity, comfort with change and ambiguity
  • Example: When a family member or coworker doesn’t handle things the way you’d like, you resist the urge to scream, and instead consider why the problem occurred and explain consequences or solutions for a better outcome 
  • Biological Factors: serotonin
  • Essential Oil Support: Lavender, Roman Chamomile, Wild Orange, Marjoram, Peace, Cedarwood
3. Self-Management/Motivation
  • Definition: Being driven to achieve for the sake of achievement
  • Hallmarks: Passion for work itself and challenges, an energy to improve, optimism in the face of failure
  • Example: You see your dōTERRA team stuck and not moving forward. Instead of feeling discouraged, you decide to learn from the challenges your team has faced and try again
  • Biological Factors: dopamine, norepinephrine, acetylcholine
  • Essential Oil Support: Clary Sage, Roman Chamomile, Patchouli, Rosemary, Lemongrass, Intune, Motivate, and Jasmine
4. Social Awareness/Empathy
  • Definition: Considering others’ feelings when making decisions
  • Hallmarks: Expertise in attracting talented friends and coworkers into your business and having the ability to help others develop into successful leaders and sensitivity to cross-cultural differences
  • Example: You talk with a discouraged family member or friend and you can connect with them and motivate them when others cannot
  • Biological factors: autism, depression, GABA, serotonin
  • Essential Oil Support: Console, Peace, Balance, Frankincense, Petitgrain, Lavender, Roman Chamomile, Vetiver, White Fir, Cypress, Patchouli, Helichrysum, Douglas Fir
5. Social Skill/Relationship Management
  • Definition: Managing relationships to move people in desired directions
  • Hallmarks: Effectiveness in leading change, persuasiveness, extensive networking, expertise in building and leading teams in the workplace
  • Biological factors: GABA, serotonin, depression, introversion 
  • Example: You start a dōTERRA business and motivate others to join you in a vision of changing health care; you network and find leaders and create a profitable business that brings you joy and satisfaction

Best Wishes,
Rebecca Hintze

PS. For more information, check out our online course Emotions and Essential Oils.




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