The Energy of Emotional Intelligence

There was a time when we were told “being emotional” has no place in organizations. Even today, logic and data take precedence over emotional intelligence. Often, I think the reason for not listening to our emotions is due to the fact that we don’t have enough practice to master interpreting our emotions into language even in personal situations, let alone, organizational contexts. 

Emotions are energy. That energy can be bottled up or released. If the energy is bottled up, it will eventually explode. When energy explodes, that’s when it usually gets a bad rap. The alternative is to feel the emotion - give the emotion space to BE.  Sit with the emotion. Allow the emotion to flow through you. Accept the emotion. Feel it in your body. What’s it saying? What words express what you are feeling? What words best express what you desire? What vulnerability does the emotion expose? What courage will you summon to say what you need to say? 

The pausing, relaxing, and breathing will give you the opening to speak of your emotion from a resourceful space and not from a reactive space. Give it a try within contexts you feel supported and safe. Eventually, we build our emotional intelligence muscles and are able to speak of what we are sensing and feeling in the most complex and challenging situations. 

Below is a favorite poem of mine about Being human and Being present to what is.