Being aware of your emotions and emotional responses to those around you can greatly improve your emotional intelligence. Knowing when you’re feeling anxious or angry can help you process and communicate those feelings in a way that promotes healthy results.

Emotional intelligence may start with self-reflection, but it’s also important to gauge how others perceive your behavior and communication. Knowing how to adjust your own message based on how you’re being received is an important part of being emotionally intelligent.

People communicate via both verbal and nonverbal communication, so it’s important to listen and watch for potentially positive and negative reactions. Taking the time to listen to others also indicates a level of respect that can form the foundation for healthy relationships.

Strong communication skills are essential for emotional intelligence. Knowing what to say or write and when to deliver information is crucial for building strong relationships. For example, as a manager in a work environment, communicating expectations and goals is necessary to keep everyone on the same page.

Nothing is more contagious than a positive attitude. Emotionally intelligent people understand the power of a positive word, an encouraging email and a kind gesture. When you’re able to also stay positive in a stressful situation, you can help others around you remain calm. This attitude also can encourage further problem-solving and teamwork.

Considering how others might be feeling is an important quality of emotional intelligence. It means you can empathize with feelings that you may not be feeling yourself and respond in a way that’s respectful and comforting to others.

Emotionally intelligent people are easy to approach because they’re good listeners and able to consider and understand other perspectives. They’re also open to learning new things and embracing new ideas.

It’s important to be the kind of person who can hear feedback, whether it’s positive feedback on a recent presentation or more critical recommendations on how you should delegate tasks more efficiently. Being open to feedback means you can take responsibility for your actions and are willing to improve how you communicate with others.

It’s important to be able to approach stressful situations with a calm and positive attitude. Tensions can easily escalate, especially when people are working under deadlines, so keeping steady and focusing on finding a solution will help everyone meet their goals.

“When awareness is brought to an emotion, power is brought to your life.”

-Tara Meyer Robson