How to Build Professional Relationships with Emotional Intelligence

They call it "soft skills" to make you ignore it. But EQ is your hardest competitive edge. For years, I wondered why my input wasn't valued the same way others' was. Same credentials. Same experience. Different results. Then I realized: I was focused on being impressive instead of being influential. Here's what (actually) builds influence at work 💡 1) Ask what they need before offering what you know ↳ "What's your biggest concern about this?" then tailor your response 2) Create psychological safety before delivering tough news ↳ "I'm bringing this up because I respect our partnership" 3) Use silence as your secret weapon ↳ After making your point, stop talking. Let it land. 4) Address the unspoken concern first ↳ "I know some might think this is too aggressive, but here's why..." 5) Frame feedback as curiosity, not criticism ↳ "I'm curious about your experience with..." 6) Make your boundaries feel like respect, not rejection ↳ "To give this the attention it deserves, I'll need until Friday" 7) End difficult conversations with clarity, not comfort ↳ "Here's what I heard... here's what happens next" Your expertise gets you invited to conversations. Your emotional intelligence makes people listen. Which shift will you try today? -- ♻️ Repost to help your network build influence that lasts 🔔 Follow Dr. Carolyn Frost for EQ strategies that create real impact

I once coached a duo - both dynamic in their technical skills - who each wanted a collaborative, communicative, supportive relationship... but each one felt they were being disrespected by the other. I'm guessing each of us has been in a similar situation. We feel disgruntled, frustrated, disrespected, taken for granted... and it's easy to put all the blame on the other person. And truthfully, it belongs there... but only half of it. The other half lands directly in our lap, and that's the part we can act on. Because the only person we can control is ourself. Here are three ideas you can use to help heal a broken relationship: 1. Seek first to understand the other person. Ask yourself, "What might they be seeing (or know) that I don't see (or know) to make them think or act this way?" Come up with a list of at least three things. (Pro tip: If you're able to listen with an open-mind [and without retort], ask the other person a series of questions like "Help me understand how you got to this conclusion.") 2. Understand yourself. Pay attention to the words or actions that trigger you, then ask yourself why that word or action upsets you. When I've done this, I've realized I'm usually triggered by something that is completely on my end and has nothing to do with the other person, which allows me to be less defensive with that person. 3. Take perspective. After you've gone through YOUR feelings and why YOU are upset, turn the page and write down what the other person might say about you. How would they describe working with you? How might they be interpreting your actions? These are some ways we can move past just self-awareness and into self-management, which is an important piece of emotional intelligence. What do you do to help you get out of your own head? HR Soul Consulting #SoulifyYourHR #Respect #Workplace #RelationshipManagement #EmotionalIntelligence #Trust

Why Is EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE (EI) Critical to Building an Inclusive and Long-Term DEI Strategy?   The first step in achieving sustainable change within any company with meaningful outcomes is through EI Training. This then paves the way for further trainings on stereotypes & biases, understanding organization, recruitment & retention, community outreach, and creating a robust sustainable business model.   It comes down to emotions, perceptions, and learning how to adapt to change by “unfreezing” your mindset. We don't want programs of the past when there are no real outcomes.  It centers around impacting identity. You are asking people to question the way they do things and how they behave. Consider technology of the past. Would you consider going back to using an old 1990 cell phone with outdated technology? Likely not. Why is DEI any different? We need to catch up; we need a new perspective with all the knowledge, advancements, and understandings.   EI is the capacity to be aware of, control, and express one's emotions, and to handle interpersonal relationships judiciously and empathetically.   The framework behind EI can be broken down into quadrants -   RECOGNITION & REGULATION with PERSONAL & SOCIAL COMPETENCE.  Under each of these includes Self-awareness, Self-Management, Social Awareness, and Relationship management. Each have their own specific exercises, strategies, and steps forward to how to accomplish each of these.   A few examples of developing your EI include:   Self-reflection--  (taking time to get to know yourself. Personal SWOT analysis or from soliciting feedback from peers to uncover your own personal blind spots) Know what triggers emotions in you  -- (consider what you are responding to when you become sad, angry or frustrated. Pay attention to vocabulary. Know the words that incite emotions in you and those that you use that may negatively impact others) Empathizing with People  -- (be willing to see things from different perspectives. This requires getting to know others, practice active listening, and asking open questions to gather info. Pay attention to nonverbal communication to find out more about how someone is truly reacting to a situation) Owning your Emotions -- (take responsibility to recognize and own emotional reactions that you have when you're interacting with other people. When you get angry, why are you getting angry? How is this destructive to you and becoming distracting to your colleagues around you?) Practicing Mindfulness --  (self-awareness is key to help reduce stress and maintain a more positive attitude.)   I LOVE this topic and could write a book on it as many have, but from a very different perspective and through the lens of disability. Lack of EI and Ableist thinking, I believe, are at the core of what creates too many friction points for those identifying with disabilities to be the most successful in their jobs. #ableism #emotionalintelligence #disabilityinclusion #perceptionmatters

What I thought I needed to excel in networking and relationship building: - A Rolodex full of high-profile contacts 📇 - The gift of gab 🗣️ - A knack for remembering names and faces 🤔 How I truly excelled in networking and relationship building: - Emotional Intelligence (EQ) 🧠: Understanding not just what people are saying, but why they're saying it, and how they're feeling. - Active Listening 👂: It's not just about waiting for your turn to speak; it's about really hearing what the other person is saying and responding thoughtfully. - Authenticity 🌟: People can spot a phony from a mile away. Being genuine isn't a tactic; it's a cornerstone of meaningful relationships. Here's my best advice: Networking isn't about collecting contacts; it's about building relationships. And the foundation of any good relationship is emotional intelligence. Tune in, be present, and connect on a deeper level. 🌱🤝