Emotional Intelligence Series: Self Awareness

A few weeks ago, I got a letter in the mail. My emotional reaction to this letter went through the roof… How dare the bank put conditions of insurance my vehicle or force me into their insurance. I was irate. I wanted to yell. I chose to wait to take action.

Luckily waiting, along with calculated steps was the correct way to respond. The rep from the bank called me telling me to lower my deductible (which would have cost my hundreds if not thousands depending on the time frame). I thanked him for calling me and explained the reason for my high deductible is the assets in my bank more than cover the deductible. “How can we work together on this?” I asked, and in less than a minute I was transferred to his manager.

Again, I explained my situation and asked how we could work together. I expressed my willingness to understand their financial risk and how I can help mitigate that. He, without my prompting, said, “Well, I’ve got an override button, I will just check that.” I profusely thanked him. Being self-aware helped me respond properly in the situation and get it resolved.

Being self-aware is part of emotional intelligence. Knowing what we react to and how we can be perceived by other people when we are stressed is crucial knowledge. The vast benefits of being self-aware range from calmer moods, to better relationships and decision-making, to increased productivity.

There are many different things you can do to boost your self-awareness. According to the Harvard business review asking friends to give you feedback and asking for regular candid feedback at work are two ways to boost self-awareness. Other sources suggest keeping a journal, meditating, taking time to reflect on your behavior, developing a robust feelings vocabulary and taking time to observe your emotions.

Reflection Question- Who can I ask to get a candid insight into my behavior?

Topic Next Week – Emotional Intelligence – Self-Regulation

Sources:

https://nickwignall.com/self-awareness/

https://hbr.org/2015/02/5-ways-to-become-more-self-aware

https://symondsresearch.com/emotional-intelligence-self-awareness/