Quick Tips On How To Improve Your Emotional Intelligence

"No one cares how much you know, until they know how much you care." 

Theodore Roosevelt

You’ve pictured in your mind thousands of times to get up and leave your current job, but something deep inside of you doesn’t allow it to happen. You are probably experiencing high Emotional Intelligence. Practicing self-control and controlling your emotions is a sign of having high EQ and that will enable you to be more engaged and committed in the workplace.

I consider myself having high EQ, why? Because I have perseverance, self-control and I get along with others. I recently experienced a situation that I needed to act quickly and be extremely flexible. I missed a deadline for submitting a vital document, and I failed. I picked myself up, I admitted my wrongdoing and corrected my actions. I acted quickly and did my best to cooperate with my client. We all make mistakes, that’s true but how we deal with our mistakes is what makes a difference.

Let’s look at the two components, Intelligence, and Emotions. The two couldn’t be any more different, but together they become dominant. Daniel Goleman wrote the book, “Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More than IQ.” In his book, he points out to hire candidates who will thrive in your workplace, look for those who have a handle on self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy & people skills. If you know someone that wants to improve their EQ, below you will find quick tips on how to improve your emotional intelligence.

Become More Self-Aware

Start by understanding your strengths and weaknesses, as well as knowing how your actions are affecting others. Also, when you reach a point that you can handle constructive criticism you will be headed towards high EQ.

Practice Self-Regulation

Go to a place that you are able to regulate your emotions with maturity and exercise restraint when necessary. Also, practice the ability to express your feelings with absolute control.

Improve Your Social Skills

Start to build rapport and trust with others and realize that you can work well with your team and peers. Then start avoiding power struggles and backstabbing, and soon you will enjoy other people and have the respect of others around you.

Become More Empathetic

Having empathy, compassion and an understanding of human nature will allow you to connect with other people on an emotional level. The ability to empathize will enable you to provide exceptional service and respond genuinely to others’ concerns.

Stay Motivated

Be self-motivated. Become resilient and optimistic when you encounter disappointment, always look for ways to be driven by an inner ambition.

In summary, having a high level of EQ can lead to better business decisions, and best of all employees are more likely to keep their cool when under pressure, a win-win for everyone. I invite you to have a powerful deep discovery conversation with me. You can reach me via email. Have a fantastic day.


Until next week,
Coach Barb
Certified Career Coach




What would be possible at work if you focused on your emotional intelligence?

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How To Be A Great Listener In The Workplace

One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say. 

Bryant H. McGill

Have you ever caught yourself thinking what you're going to respond? When do you realize that you haven’t heard what the other person was saying? You were not listening; it’s time to learn how.  I am sure that when you are having a conversation with a client, you want them to listen tentatively. It can be annoying when you are saying something significant, and the other person jumps right into another conversation about themselves without even acknowledging what you just said.  

I have to admit that I have caught myself saying, “oh no what did she just say?” Then I’ve gone into panic mode and try to fix it.  The moment is gone, and if I didn’t practice active listening, it’s game over. I soon realized that I had to pay more attention and learn how to listen.  I now consider myself the best listener there is because I practice the art of listening. Every person that I come in contact with is important to me, and I am looking forward to what they have to say.  

We need to retrain ourselves and learn how to listen.  The benefits of practicing active listening in the workplace are that it boosts your self-confidence because now you are part of an actual conversation.  Also, you practice being in the present moment and become more focused. You develop your real ability to grow and connect on a deeper level.

If you find yourself having a hard time listening, below, you will see five simple steps that helped me become a better listener.  Hope it will help you become a better listener too.

Have Time

We are all busy, and If you are in a hurry let the other person know.  It is better to get back to them when you know you can take the time to listen.  And it is better for you because you won’t have to stop what you are doing and run the risk of being late.  It’s a win/win.

Eye Contact

Keep eye contact.  If your eyes are wandering around the other person will feel that you are not listening.  To improve this what I do is that I focus on keeping eye contact, It takes practice, I suggest to start little by little. Be aware that you are maintaining eye contact.  

Don’t Interrupt

Have you ever tried to finish the other person's sentence? I think we have all done it, but it is annoying.  It’s not a race; you are just having a conversation. The way to stop yourself is to be attentive to the other person's thought process. It takes practice, but it is worth it in the end. Stop interrupting by jumping in and interrupting.

Engage

Ask questions don’t read minds. By asking questions, you start to have a compelling dialog.  Keep the conversation going by being interested. Always summarize what the other person just said, that keeps you focused on the story and helped you retain relevant information.

Be Genuine

Find the space in your heart to care what the other person is telling you.  By showing that you are genuine, it helps you grow as a person. I am one that likes to reach out to people all the time, and I genuinely care when I ask how they are doing, it boils down to this one crucial thing, that we all care in one shape or form for one another.  

In summary, nothing worthwhile comes easy.  And it is useful to have a meaningful conversation. Start practicing and watch yourself grow in the process.  Have a fantastic day. I invite you to have a discovery conversation with me. Email me today.

Until next week,

Coach Barb

Certified Career Coach

Do you struggle with active listening?

The Best 5 Powerful Skills To Develop In Business

"Take advantage of every opportunity to practice your communication skills so that when important occasions arise, you will have the gift, the style, the sharpness, the clarity, and the emotions to affect other people." Jim Rohn

It doesn’t matter what industry you’re in, what matters is the skills you acquire to bring out your best in everything you do. Do you find your work meaningful and rewarding? If you answered no, then you must learn specific skills to bring meaning to the work that you do.

On my career journey, I have had the privilege of learning new things all the time. I have mentors that don’t even know that they mentor me, but I learn from everyone that crosses my path. What is one skill that we all need to have to succeed? Excellent communication skills come to mind. In my research and the books that I read, communication is the one skill that always comes up. That is why I am still learning new ways to develop and improve my communication skills.

Besides communication, countless other skills are necessary to be successful in any industry. Let’s explore the Top 5 Skills that I find essential, and that will make your life more meaningful and rewarding.

Essential skills to acquire and develop for success:

Good Communication Skills
The ability to present, to speak, to write, and to question.

Take Action
It’s not enough to have ideas, that’s where it all starts, but the magic happens when you do something about it. Make it happen, make the call, set the appointment, write the article, write the email and hit send.

Be Flexible
Be open to new ideas, be creative, don’t settle,

Build Relationships
Not only friends, but think of building stable working relationships with bosses, coworkers, vendors, suppliers, prospects, and clients.

Listening 

When you focus your conversations on listening to understand what the other person is saying, rather than listening to respond, your business relationships will improve drastically.  Develop your listening skills to enhance any relationship.  

In summary, always be analyzing your performance, see where you need improvement and take the time to develop core skills that keep you moving forward. For a Career Coaching Session, contact me today.

Until Next Week,
Coach Barb
Certified Career Coach


What skills do you consider worth developing?

How To Manage A Robust Sales Funnel

“Keep Your Sales Pipeline Full By Prospecting Continuously. Always Have More People To See Than You Have Time To See Them.” – Brian Tracy

Are you not getting enough sales? Then it’s time to revisit your sales funnel and create a robust sales process. If you are not familiar with a sales funnel, it’s a tool to help you manage your sales process; the main point is to control every stage and keep moving qualified leads and eventually having them become customers.

                     

Moving from the top layer all the way to the bottom layer will determine at what stage your current prospects are and what you need to do to close the deal. You need to know how you're generating leads and converting them into customers. 

Today I will share with you how to effectively manage your sales funnel to get winning results. As you might know sales is a numbers game, for instance, you might get 8 individuals that are interested in your product, but as they move through the funnel, only 4 will become leads, that is about 50% out of the 4 only 2 need a quote, and out of the 2 only 1 will buy your product. That is an example of a working funnel. If your target is to get ten sales, then you need to bring awareness about your product to 80 people

Generate Leads

First, you need to decide how you're going to get individuals interested in your product or service. Take a look at your marketing strategy, is it working? Are people interested in your business? The way you fill the top end of your funnel is through your marketing efforts. Marketing creates awareness and interest, therefore generating leads.

Create A Process

After you have your leads of interested people, it’s time to move them down the funnel. When they are paying attention to what you have to say about your products, the process begins. At this stage, your sales team will attempt to convert those leads into buyers.

Qualify At Each Level

Always be qualifying, you qualify by asking questions to keep them moving down the funnel and eventually buying your product. If you have a gaming business, you would ask questions like, “How often do you play video games? Or At what level do you play? You would always customize the questions depending on your product or service. However, the point I’m trying to make here is to keep qualifying.

The primary goal is to move the maximum amount of interested individuals through the funnel. The way you do that is to consistently be testing and analyzing and tracking everything that is going on with your process.

At the end of the day, when you have happy customers, they will become ambassadors for you and start filling up your funnel with newly interested individuals and eventually grow your business.

In summary, the more consistent you are, the more efficient you’re going to be. Always keep in mind that the size of your funnel will determine the number of sales you are going to make. Contact me today for an empowering career coaching chat.


Until next week,
Coach Barb
Certified Career Coach

How do you manage your sales funnel?