Every day, we make hundreds of choices, often without much thought. Some are straightforward, while others involve difficult conversations, unexpected challenges, or situations that leave us feeling uncomfortable ...
Emotional intelligence helps us listen, understand different perspectives and make better decisions.
Understanding how emotional intelligence helps you make better choices can change the way you approach these moments, giving you greater awareness of your feelings and more confidence in deciding what happens next.
Our emotions are information!
They tell us something about how we're experiencing a situation, whether our needs are being met, and whether something feels right for us. Rather than dismissing uncomfortable feelings or letting them dictate our behaviour, we can learn to recognise them, understand what they might be telling us, and respond more thoughtfully.
Imagine you're feeling frustrated at work. Maybe a colleague has overlooked your contribution, or you're being asked to take on responsibilities that don't align with your ambitions. Your frustration isn't necessarily something to suppress. It could be pointing to a need for recognition, clearer boundaries, or a change in direction.
The first step is simply to notice what you're feeling. Instead of reacting immediately, pause and ask yourself what's happening and why it matters to you. Emotions aren't always an accurate reflection of the facts, but they can provide valuable clues about what deserves your attention.
Next, think about what you'd rather experience. Would you prefer to feel respected, confident, motivated, or more in control? What would need to change for that to happen? Identifying your preferred outcome helps shift your thinking away from the problem and toward possible solutions.
From there, you can explore your options!
Perhaps you need an honest conversation, a different approach to a challenging task or a clearer understanding of your priorities. You might even discover that the situation itself isn't the problem, but the assumptions you're making about it.
Finally, choose one action that moves you towards your preferred outcome. It doesn't need to be dramatic. Sometimes a small change in perspective, a thoughtful question or a decision to establish a boundary can make a meaningful difference.
We can't always control our circumstances or immediately choose how we feel. However, we can build greater awareness of our emotions and take responsibility for how we respond.
Ultimately, how emotional intelligence helps you make better choices comes down to recognising that feelings are signals, not instructions. When we listen to those signals, weigh our options, and take purposeful action, we give ourselves a better chance to shape our experiences.
And that can only help our relationships and improve our future.
If anything in my blog post resonates with you and you'd like some further help and advice with your career, then why not get in touch today? Call me on 07941 690391, visit my website at davecordle.co.uk to see ways I can help and support you, or connect with me on LinkedIn and let's start a conversation.
I began my professional life training as a cartographer with the Directorate of Overseas Surveys, a department of the British government. I made maps of places such as Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Sudan and the British Virgin Islands. It was a fascinating time, being involved in planning the flights for aerial photography, interpreting the photographs and eventually producing the plates for the different layers of the final map.
It was during my latter years as a cartographer and my career in computing that I undertook bigger mountaineering expeditions to the Andes, the Himalayas, the Tien Shan and the Caucasus. At that time I also held various leadership roles in scouting. I coached and trained young people successfully leading them to develop themselves and embrace new experiences. So that’s where my passion comes from to help young people learn the strategies for success that I share with my business and career clients.
My journey in personal professional development and coaching has been amazing, and will continue to be so: it’s why I’m here, it’s my big passion. It’s what has informed my vision and mission.
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