The Power of Emotional Intelligence
Posted on July 25 2018,
It was a Friday morning on August 12, 2016, when my entrepreneurial activities came to a grinding halt. As I drove to what used to be the BGB International HQ, I called a few friends to ask for prayer as I wasn't sure what to expect. Rounding the curve, I could see in the valley large plumes of smoke, and I knew all was lost. My comfort zone lay smoldering in the ashes as I walked away from a familiar routine. Within minutes, ten years of hard work went up in smoke as a result of arson.
Three things helped me to move forward: my faith, my family, and my community. Without them, I wouldn't have been able to keep my head above water. However, it wasn't until I was asked to speak to a group of MBA students at Appalachian State University that I understood the power of "emotional intelligence".
Emotional intelligence is a group of five skills that enables individuals to maximize their performance. We're each born with certain levels of EI skills: Self-Awareness, Self-Regulation, Motivation, Empathy, and Social Skills. I won't go into much detail explaining all of them in this blog post, but I am going to share with you how self-awareness empowered me to take the next step.
Self-awareness is the ability to know one's strengths, weaknesses, drives, values, and impact on others. During my talk to the MBA students, I unknowingly referred to five words, which later managed to show up at my door, cleanly written on five rocks. These five rocks rest on a shelf that I walk by daily and remind me of where I have been and where I want to go.
IQ and technical skills are not irrelevant, but it is a person's core values, in my opinion, which enable entrepreneurs to chase new beginnings. As I drove home that one day in August, I wasn't sure how it would all play out, but I was confident that we would make it work!
Looking forward to hearing about what's under your hood and how that has helped guide you to achieving your dreams!
3 comments
Nicole Fynn
August 11, 2018Hi,
Emotional intelligence is so very important. Thanks for dedicating time writing about it. NPF
Ermie Magfloat
July 26, 2018Finding a good therapist has been an interesting journey into self-awareness! Thanks for the nudge to mull these things over.
Ken Corley
July 25, 2018It’s strange how evil never attacks evil.
When you are living right and doing all the right things with a solid long term plan that lends itself to feelings of security and comfort…
…BAM!…
…Evil will use those feelings of security and comfort to come screaming out of nowhere like a sidewinder missile to blow your world apart for maximum impact. The ripple effect on family and friends is extensive!
When you recover with grace, poise, and find yourself in a better place for having endured it while continuing to live right… the ripple effect on family and friends is extensive… maximum impact!
So, like you, I’ll be over here steadfast, better prepared, and defiantly braced for the next sidewinder missile… unshakable and unbreakable… let ‘em take their best shot.
I appreciate you!