5 Key Components of Emotional Intelligence

Having strong social skills allows people to build meaningful relationships with other people and develop a stronger understanding of themselves and others.

To improve social skills:

• Ask open-ended questions.
• Find icebreakers that will help start conversations.
• Notice other people's social skills.
• Practice good eye contact.
• Practice your social skills.
• Show interest in others.
• Watch your body language .

Empathy, or the ability to understand how others are feeling, is absolutely critical to emotional intelligence.

To build empathy:

• Be willing to share your own feelings.
• Engage in a cause such as a community project. 
• Listen to other people.
• Talk to new people.
• Try to imagine yourself in someone else's place.

Intrinsic motivation is another important emotional intelligence skill. People who are emotionally intelligent are motivated by things beyond external rewards like fame, money, recognition, and acclaim.

To improve motivation:

• Avoid overusing extrinsic rewards .
• Celebrate your results.
• Focus on setting small, measurable goals.
• Introduce challenges to keep things interesting.
• Set goals to help build intrinsic motivation.
• Work with a friend or co-worker to find accountability.