From the course: Nano Tips for Dealing with a Difficult Boss with Elayne Fluker

How to optimize your emotional intelligence

From the course: Nano Tips for Dealing with a Difficult Boss with Elayne Fluker

How to optimize your emotional intelligence

- Emotional intelligence is a soft skill that represents your ability to understand and manage your emotions, as well as recognize and influence the emotions of those around you. Self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and relationship management are four key competencies of emotional intelligence. Here's how to utilize them to manage your emotions when dealing with a difficult boss. Number one, self-awareness. How do you honestly feel about your relationship with your boss? Angry, sad, disappointed, frustrated? And how might your emotions cause you to react? Acknowledging your emotions without being controlled by them will create a space for you to consider the next right move with a clearer mind. As my coach taught me, first feel, second solve. Number two, self-management. Ultimately, the only person whose behavior you can control or improve is your own. Don't let the situation with your boss cause you to spiral into self-blaming or negative self-talk. Stay positive, you'll get through this. Number three, social awareness. Don't check out just because things aren't working out. Stay engaged, ask questions, and be an active listener. Pay close attention to cues such as body language and tone of voice that could be indications of current circumstances that your boss may not be able to articulate, but that may be influencing their behavior. Compassion could be the cure for some of the complications you're experiencing. Number four, relationship management. Take ownership of your role and your relationship with your difficult boss. Ask yourself, what are you doing to improve the relationship and be honest with yourself about whether there are areas where you could step it up.

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