While researching relevant topics to blog about, I learned that October is Emotional Intelligence Awareness month as well as Positive Attitude month. This got me thinking about how the two must be related and the impact they can have on your small business.
Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is the capacity to be aware of, control, and express one’s emotions, and to handle interpersonal relationships judiciously and empathetically. Over the years scientists have posited that EQ may be more important in leadership roles than a person’s IQ. I think we need both to run a successful business. We need to have the IQ to balance our budget, formulate a business plan, and use the technology needed to do so. The EQ comes into play with our interactions with others. We need a decent EQ to understand our employees’ needs, use emotions effectively in our marketing campaigns and garner those sales contacts we need for next quarter. It affects how we view and interact with the world (and people) around us.
A positive attitude can have a significant influence on that. Positive attitudes lead to positive results. If you interact with your employees, business associates, and customers in a positive way, their view of your business will be positive. This will then lead to more referrals, long-lasting relationships, and more business interactions. In addition to the benefits a positive attitude has on others, it is also good for your personal health, helps overcome challenges, and enhances resilience. These are all things we need to be successful leaders in our companies, and continue to grow and develop our small business. By choosing to be positive, we have control of our emotional responses, which leads to an increase in our emotional intelligence, which then, in turn, benefits our business.
Now that you know that October is Emotional Intelligence Awareness month and Positive Attitude month, what are you going to do to improve your EQ and positivity?