Importance of Emotions and Emotional Intelligence
Obtaining Emotional Intelligence (EI) allows a person to analyze their own feelings towards others while observing the emotions of those around them to formulate responses to both their emotions and the feelings of others. The brain is composed of two sides: the rational mind that provides justification for decisions and the emotional mind that supplies the drive behind impulsive decisions individuals make (Goleman, 2005). EI is a crucial factor in judgment because, without the emotional mind, humans are formulating decisions logically without taking into consideration the motivation behind the choices they make. Goleman posits that EI should be taught as early as grade school because “emotional competencies are learned abilities” (Goleman, 2005, pp. xv).
There are five concepts that permit somebody to acquire EI: self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills (Goleman, 2005). Self-awareness is defined as being aware of the consequences of a person’s present emotions and their effects on others. If this component is active, then a person has an enhanced decision-making process because they recognize how their emotions will impact those around them. Self-regulation consists of maintaining the feelings a person acquires internally. Obtaining self-regulation allows a person to establish resilience by knowing how to control their emotions and change their moods. Motivation is the energizing force, and often the reason, a person experiences the resulting emotions. The ability to comprehend and accept the emotions of others is described as empathy, which allows a person to gain a better perspective of why a person is exhibiting their emotions. Lastly, the fifth concept in EI is social skills and it facilitates the formation of relationships between people.
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What makes EI unique is its ability to be applied to countless real-life situations. EI is essential in resolving conflicts within marriages, especially when arguments center around situations that impact both partners’ emotional well-being. If one spouse is upset, the other spouse can utilize EI to determine why their spouse is distraught and how they would feel personally if they were in their partner’s shoes. EI is applicable within the work environment because being aware of others’ emotions enhances teamwork, cooperation, communication, and listening skills between coworkers (Goleman, 2005). Healthcare providers utilize EI when caring for patients, such as being empathetic toward their clients when they receive life-changing diagnoses. They ask their patients how they can achieve their needs as healthcare professionals in an attempt to comprehend what their clients are going through during their hospitalization.
Even though it is learned, many individuals have obstacles that interfere with the development of EI. For instance, being raised by parents that lack EI may result in their offspring becoming apathetic, emotionally illiterate, and unaware of what feelings they acquire and how their emotions impact others. These children have the potential to develop into bullies due to an inability to understand their feelings, displacing their emotions towards somebody else. Trauma can alter a person’s development of EI because they might associate a certain emotion with a distressing memory or experience. An example of a condition that interferes with an individual’s EI is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which is a mental health disorder that includes flashbacks and the emotions connected to those memories (Goleman, 2005). Instead of maintaining their emotions, those with PTSD are unable to separate their emotions affiliated with their traumatic past events and cannot regulate their feelings when a flashback occurs. With these factors in mind, school districts are in need of educating their students on EI and how it correlates with success both academically and personally. As a result of emotional literacy, upcoming generations are less likely to develop emotional illiteracy.
There are advantages for nurses who acquire EI, such as “being attuned to the feelings of those we deal with and being able to handle disagreements so they do not escalate” (Goleman, 2005, pp. 149). When nurses evolve into charge nurses, they learn how to handle disagreements other nurses come to them with and guide their peers on utilizing empathy. A prime example of the benefits of EI can be observed in charge nurses when a problem with a dissatisfied patient arises. The prudent charge nurse is self-aware that although their workload may be heavy, this patient currently needs their undivided attention due to their current emotional state. Rather than getting frustrated at the client, the charge nurse self-regulates their own emotions and is attentive to the patient’s grievances. The charge nurse is familiar with the caseload and realizes the client is scheduled for an important procedure, which could be a potential motivator for the patient’s dissatisfaction. The charge nurse empathizes with the client’s situation and is accepting rather than dismissing their feelings. The assigned caregiver of the dissatisfied patient is brought into the conversation by the charge nurse to develop an individualized solution for this client, addressing the patient’s needs and restoring the relationship between the caregiver and recipient of care. As a result, the charge nurse’s utilization of EI prevented further conflict which is a consequence of emotional illiteracy. From a communication perspective, the charge nurse effectively collaborated with all involved parties to formulate a mutual agreement on this individual’s course of care with everybody’s emotions in mind. All in all, nurses who are well versed in EI can lead by example through awareness of the impact their emotions can have on the quality of care they provide to their clients.
References
- American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological
- Association. (6th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association
- Goleman, D. (2020). About Daniel Goleman. Retrieved from http://www.danielgoleman.info/
- Goleman, D. (2005). Emotional intelligence. New York: Bantam Books
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