7 Ways To Build Your EQ

The #1 most important leadership skill is emotional intelligence (EQ). EQ is knowing how to humanly respond to all of your own emotions and all of the emotions of others.

1. Pause more. React Less. Half the battle to building emotional intelligence is having the discipline to pause and create space to transition an emotional reaction into a thoughtful, rationale response.

2. Listen with curiosity. Build your emotional intelligence by being naturally curious about people and diverse thinking. Remember, 4+5 = 9 but so does 2+7.

3. Embrace the suck. Lean into negative emotions because they give you wisdom and are part of the human experience. Negative emotions—the suck—builds resilience, grit and character. Being happy all the time with no stress is not real life. Just like lifting weights for your muscles, being slightly stressed translates into growth.

4. Be authentic. The most important thing in all of business whether it be relationships, leadership, sales or branding is authenticity. Be remarkably real with all emotions and experience the difference.

5. Listen with empathy. Put yourself in another person's shoes to build human connection and understanding.

6. Use common sense. Common sense is doing what is needed in the moment that makes the most sense—one size fits one. Be adaptable.

7. Fail fast forward. Be brave enough to suck at something new and then keep working at it, learn from it or pivot. Failure builds growth so don't get stuck feeling sorry for yourself—move on smarter.