VAAEYC Admin/ March 2, 2021/ emotional development, Events
Dr. Marcia Bennett, SMOI International
Meet Dr. Marcia Bennett
Dr. Marcia Bennett is the CEO and Management Consultant for SMOI International. Her firm specializes in professional development training and facilitation, strategic planning, and workforce development research. Over the past six years, Dr. Bennett has served as a professional development trainer and conference speaker. She works with businesses and organizations training their employees in the areas of time management, productivity, and organizational leadership and development.
Dr. Bennett holds a Doctorate of Philosophy in Public Policy and Administration with a concentration in Law from Walden University, a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from Averett University, and a Bachelor of Arts in American History and Political Science from the University of Lynchburg.
Dr. Bennett will present "Leading with Emotional Intelligence" on Friday, March 12 at 10:25 AM.
The Five Elements of Emotional Intelligence
For decades, researchers have studied reasons why a high IQ does not necessarily guarantee success. American psychologist Daniel Goleman discovered that intellect alone was no guarantee in identifying one’s own emotions or the emotional expressions of others. According to Goleman, the core factors contributing to an individual’s emotional intelligence are
- self-awareness,
- self-regulation,
- motivation,
- empathy, and
- social skills.
Most of us are familiar with the term IQ, or Intelligence Quotient, which is a measure of a person's ability to reason and solve problems. It also reflects how well you perform on a specific test compared to other people of the same age group.
EQ, also known as Emotional Quotient, is the ability to identify and manage one's own emotions, as well as the emotions of others. The Emotional Quotient is a total overall score given based on an emotional quotient assessment, such as the EQ-I 2.0, which measures emotional intelligence. Recent studies show organizations are more concerned with the EQ of their leaders than other skills. As educators, improving emotional intelligence is an opportunity to develop both personally and professionally. Fortunately, emotional intelligence is learned and can be improved.
Below are the five competencies of emotional intelligence. Each competency builds upon one another. Emotional intelligence starts with understanding your own emotions (self-awareness) and then being able to manage them (self-regulation) and use them to achieve your goals (self-motivation). Once you can understand and manage your emotions, then you can start to understand the emotions and feelings of others (empathy) and finally influence them (social skills).
Self-awareness: Individuals with high levels of emotional intelligence are comfortable with their own thoughts and emotions and understand how they impact others.
Self-regulation: Individuals learn to regulate important aspects of themselves and their environments to survive and thrive.
Motivation: The ability to orient ourselves towards our goals, recover from setbacks, and manage stress. A passion for your work is better for your emotional intelligence.
Empathy: Not only must you understand your own emotions but understanding and reacting to the emotions of others is also important. Identifying a certain mood or emotion from a colleague and reacting to it can go a long way in strengthening relationships.
Social Skills: Social skills are more than just friendly. Goleman describes them as “friendliness with a purpose,” meaning everyone is treated politely and with respect. Social skills are needed to handle and influence other people’s emotions more effectively.
As an educator, demonstrating emotional intelligence indicates an ability to understand one’s own emotions as well as others. When dealing with a frustrated student, upset colleague, or an unsatisfied parent, try relying more on emotional intelligence to improve and enhance communication.