The single biggest predictor of success is not education, knowledge or intellectual horsepower. It’s emotional intelligence.

While it’s harder to measure than intelligence, you can’t deny its power. We all know people who exhibit strong emotional intelligence, and we also know many who don’t. We may personally struggle with some components of emotional intelligence. But the good news is that you can improve your skills if you work at it.

What exactly is emotional intelligence? There are 4 key skills:

• SELF-AWARENESS. Understanding your own emotions.
• SELF-MANAGEMENT. Understanding what happens when you act or do not act.
• SOCIAL AWARENESS. Understanding the emotions around you and what’s really going on.
• RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT. Managing interactions successfully.

While you can’t improve your base intelligence, you can improve your emotional intelligence.

A great resource for more information is Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves. You can complete a free EQ assessment and learn how to begin maximizing your EQ immediately.

It’ll pay big dividends in your personal and professional life.