Emotional Intelligence 2.0
In today's fast-paced world of competitive workplaces and turbulent economic conditions, each of us is searching for effective tools that can help us to manage, adapt, and strike out ahead of the pack.
By now, emotional intelligence (EQ) needs little introduction—it’s no secret that EQ is critical to your success. But knowing what EQ is and knowing how to use it to improve your life are two very different things.
Emotional Intelligence 2.0, written by Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves, delivers a step-by-step program for increasing your EQ via four, core EQ skills that enable you to achieve your fullest potential:
1) Self-Awareness
2) Self-Management
3) Social Awareness
4) Relationship Management
While this book was primarily written for a business audience, its principles are great for those in relationships looking to understand their EQ for greater connection.
Detailed Review
Can you Relate?
Does the question “how are you feeling” make your palms sweat? If your partner asked you to explain your emotions, do you change the subject? Are your requests for emotional connection met with oblivion or divergence? Not because they don’t want to, but they don’t know how? As a child were you taught that some of your emotions are bad, so you learned to avoid them? Does understanding your own emotional needs in a relationship or your partner’s needs seem foggy and confusing? Do you tend to be over-analytical because that seems safe and easy to explain?
Framework Alignment
Emotional Intelligence 2.0 aligns with the Core area of focus of the Evimero Couples Framework. It will help you understand and develop your emotional language while equipping you to engage with your partner through emotional connection.
Tools for Growth
The first ⅓ of Emotional Intelligence 2.0 is a deep dive into the four competencies that make up Emotional Intelligence (EQ). The remainder of the book focuses on strategies you can apply with this core understanding. In order to use these strategies, you must know your EQ score. When you purchase the book you receive an assessment code to find out. You redeem the code by completing an Emotional Intelligence 2.0 assessment at talentsmarteq.com. The results of this assessment include your overall EQ score and a score for each of the four competencies that make up Emotional Intelligence.
Once you have your scores, you are ready to apply the specific strategies that support your EQ growth. The authors recommend picking three or four strategies to focus on for the next thirty to sixty days. As with any attempt for growth, finding a mentor or coach will help you stay accountable during this time.
The purpose of these strategies is to help you develop your Emotional Intelligence muscles. Let’s say you are someone that isn’t very self-aware of your emotions and struggle to define them. One of the strategies for this area is to know who and what pushes your buttons. Knowing this is critical to developing the ability to take control of your emotions in these situations and maintaining your poise. Strategies like these create clear opportunities to grow in understanding your emotions and, more importantly, how your emotions impact your interactions with your partner.
The explanation of the four competencies, the personal assessment, and the strategies for application all provide a fantastic framework to support the growth of your emotional intelligence.
Couples are encouraged to use this book to develop an emotional language for their relationship, while increasing their emotional connection. Each partner can complete the assessment on their own. Then use the results as a conversation starter to better understand each other. The book guides you as individuals in ways to understand your emotional strengths and weaknesses. This can then be shared with each partner with a series of weekly conversations. As always, embracing this level of vulnerability requires each partner to create a safe space, especially if this is all new for one partner.
Worth your Time?
If you are someone that is more comfortable in the boardroom than the bedroom, Emotional Intelligence 2.0 may be for you. Especially if you are someone that isn’t as in tune with your emotions as you could be. This book will help you get there. It does a great job of intellectualizing the concept of emotions, which is helpful if you tend to live more in your head. The book was originally written for business professionals, however, we feel it is helpful for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of emotions. When couples read this book together, this emotional understanding and sharing can lead to a greater connection in their relationship.
About the Expert(s)
Travis Bradberry
