Did you know studies indicate that our success in life and in our relationships with others can be highly attributable to our Social and Emotional Intelligence?

Social and Emotional intelligence (SEI) is a term becoming more widely used, but what exactly is it?

Let’s start with how to recognise when Social and Emotional Intelligence skills are not being used.

Have you have experienced a boss or colleague who exploded when a deadline was missed or, an acquaintance that cannot seem to relate to others effectively?

Or, have you ever responded to a challenging situation in your personal or working life in a way that on reflection you realised did not bring the result you had hoped?

You may have realised at that point, a different response would have created a more beneficial result.

These are all examples of how the lack of social and emotional intelligence skills can have negative results.

So what is Social and Emotional intelligence?

In a nutshell, Social and Emotional Intelligence begins by being aware of our emotions and also what may be going on within others in the moment. The skills comes when armed with this awareness we can manage our behaviour, our responses to stressful or challenging situations and respond to others with care and consideration.

So how would that indicate our success in life and work?

It is a fact that most successful people in work and life have the ability to mange themselves and their relationship with others.

Organisations who have offered their staff Social and Emotional Intelligence coaching, training and assessments have reported greater performance, higher profits, improved staff retention and improved working environments.

Our thoughts create our behaviour

Did you know that our thoughts create our emotions and our emotions create our behaviour?

Social and Emotional Intelligence is about behaviour and behaviour can be changed.

The good news is Social and Emotional Intelligence (SEI) can be improved and strengthened and its never too late to add these essential skills to our career/life strategy.

The quickest way to enhance these skills is through SEI coaching.

Are there any well-being benefits to SEI?

If SEI (Social and Emotional Intelligence), can help us manage our response to stressful or challenging situations, let us look at what our response to prolonged stress brings.

Cortisol-the stress hormone causes-

• Elevated blood sugar levels
• Increased bone loss
• Compromised immune function
• Decreased skin repair and regeneration
• Increase fat accumulation
• Brain cell destruction
• Emotions and heart disease

A Harvard Medical school study of 1,623 heart attack survivors found that when subjects got angry during emotional conflicts, their risk of subsequent heart attacks was more than double that of those who remained calm.

Now let's look at research about having positive emotions

• Improved performance and achievement
• More creativity and innovative problem solving
• Better decision making
• More flexible thought process
• Improved hormonal balance
• Enjoying more satisfying relationships and fulfilling social networks

There is more information about my Social and Emotional Intelligence Coaching package on the Well-being Works programmes pages.