Human Recourses - Social and Emotional Intelligence - Essay Example

Although virtually all humans possess some elements of Social and Emotional Intelligence, this intelligence comes in handy in such situations as in schools where children have to experience wholesome learning, at homes where parents deal with various domestic roles, and in the corporate world where the managers have to regularly tackle challenging tasks objectively (Lantieri 23).

Ideally, Social and Emotional Intelligence consists of four quadrants namely self-awareness, self-management, empathy, and interpersonal skills. Self-awareness means the ability to understand one’s strengths and limits to know when to rely on others and when to perform personal best. Zins state that it involves understanding individual feelings and emotions in such a way as to draw a clear distinction between, acting, thinking, and feelings (46). Through self-awareness, one can understand the consequences of their actions. Self-management on the other hand entails the individual commitment and self-discipline of the members within a given team or group. This may include managing individual moods like controlling impulses and handling difficult feelings appropriately (Lantieri 28). The third quadrant of Social and Emotional Intelligence, which is empathy comprises blending with the feelings and perceptions of others through cognitive and affectionate instincts. When it comes to interpersonal skills, persuasion, negotiation, collaboration, and communication skills come in handy. These interpersonal skills are instrumental when managing relationships be it at home, in school, or in the corporate world, and may involve the resolution of conflicts and connecting with friends and associates (Zins 52).

 Of all these quadrants of Social and Emotional Intelligence, interpersonal skills and self-management are influential to the extent that if not well managed, can derail an individual’s career. According to Lantieri, if one is lacking such interpersonal skills as good communication and negotiation skills, they may not fit well in a customer-oriented organization despite their poor relationship with other staff. Additionally, when persons cannot effectively manage their emotions, they may conflict with management staff over preventable conduct hence such persons may face harsh disciplinary measures (Phifer 61).

I strongly believe that Social and Emotional Intelligence is a pivotal intelligence required of leaders at all levels whether at the corporate level, political scene, or domestic level. I base my reasons on the facts that at one point or the other, human beings have to interact and share their feelings in addition to maintaining their self-image and positions across various ranks within society. This means any person who has this form of intelligence becomes a great asset within that given institution in addition to the benefits that the individuals in question derive from it. The expansion of this whole idea brings us to the conclusion that Social and Emotional Intelligence is not reserved for HR Managers and leaders only but instead, it is relevant to all managers at various levels (Zins 51).

Fundamentally, Social and Emotional Intelligence comprises many competencies that derive from the four quadrants. Of all these competencies, I confidently believe I have the greatest strength in self-discipline, commitment, and communication skills. I have demonstrated self-discipline before as the student coordinator of academic matters in my previous class where I had to work together with students with diverse opinions and cultures with little difficulty. This is due to resolved attitude when dealing with serious matters that require some element of wisdom and restraint. Furthermore, my communication skills are above par as evidenced in my way of negotiating and persuading fellow students and other staff to consider my divergent opinions (Lantieri 26).

However, I have discovered that I have some elements of weakness in some competencies of Social and Emotional Intelligence that include empathy and self-awareness. This is because I rarely consider the feelings of other students while consulting especially when I annoy them either intentionally or unintentionally. As concerns self-awareness, I have difficulties determining my limits more so regarding the determination of my academic capabilities and limits. More often than not, I have the feeling that I need no outside help in academic matters, an issue that has affected me because I blatantly disregard wise lectures from my fellow students.

 Of the twenty-six competencies, I wholeheartedly believe that self-management comprised of self-motivation will have the greatest impact on my career. This is because I have inculcated a culture of regularly setting attainable goals and working towards them with commitment, hope, and optimism (Phifer 60). Through self-management, I will be able to cope with different personalities and tasks in the course of attending to my career. To increase my competency in self-motivation I have put in place a strategic plan illustrating my career trajectory for the next five years and what I must do to achieve my career goals (Zins 53).