There is no exact formula for professional success, and there will always be debate over which factors are most influential in achieving it– from hard work and intelligence to ambition and opportunity.

Recently, there has been an increased awareness about the importance of emotional intelligence skills in the workplace. A well-balanced, mature and effective professional has both traditional intelligence (IQ) and emotional intelligence (EQ) that work in tandem on an everyday basis. Emotionally intelligent people make an effort to understand their own feelings and those of others so they can put behaviors and actions in context and build stronger interpersonal relationships.

How to Improve Your Emotional Intelligence Skills

1. Be honest about your feelings.

It is important, and often difficult, to be in tune with your own emotions. Before you make an important decision or react to something a colleague has said or done, check in with yourself to find the source of your responses. What is your emotional state? Have you made your decision thoughtfully, or are you acting out of anger, fear, guilt or frustration? Learn to be honest with yourself and admit your own imperfections so you can grow.

2. Put yourself in someone else’s shoes.

One of the most valuable emotional intelligence skills is the ability to identify the feelings of others, recognize their value and put them into a broader context of behavior and relationships. Strive to understand where other people are coming from (even the difficult people), and be empathetic to their perspective whenever possible. Relationships

3. Make positive choices.

Every job comes with its occasional frustrations and negative aspects, but it is your choice how you deal with them. Do you cling to resentment, jealousy, anger or insecurity, venting to co-workers and blaming others for your unhappiness? Or do you make a conscious choice to do what you can to change your situation? Focus on your own EQ and building healthy, supportive relationships with your work colleagues (learn more about preventing conflict).

4. Be open to feedback and discourse.
An emotionally intelligent person is able to recognize his or her strengths and weaknesses and receive feedback and constructive criticism from others. It is not always easy to admit your flaws and look for ways to improve them, but this humility and openness will strengthen your own character, as well as your relationships with colleagues.

Learn more about improving your emotional intelligence skills with our free e-book download!