The EQ EBS

March 7, 2014
Travis Bradberry & Jean Greaves

Emotional Intelligence 2.0

An Executive Book Summary by Sarah Sotvedt

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Introduction 1

General Information 2

How it Works 3

What is EQ? 4

Self-Awareness Strategies 5

Self-Management Strategies 6

Social Awareness Strategies 7-8

Relationship Management Strategies 8-9

Reflection 10

SUMMARY
Travis Bradberry and Jean Graves take readers Emotional Intelligence 2.0,
through a journey of discovery and reflection as this book goes beyond the
they navigate the process of exploring and work of its predecessor,
improving emotional intelligence (EQ), a providing a brief history and
statistically significant factor in achieving outline, while focusing on
personal and professional success. Aptly titled, encouraging the reader to
apply strategies in the areas
of self-awareness, self-
management, social
Emotional Intelligence can be defined as the ability to
awareness and relationship
identify, consider and control emotions in oneself and to management. Bradberry and
recognize them in others, brought on by a combination of Graves leave a path for
self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and readers to develop awareness
relationship management. and strategize improvement
with the inclusion of an EQ
test and a plan format.

EADM 834.3
Dr. Keith Walker
 The EQ EBS

Meet the Authors: Dr. Travis Bradberry and Dr. Jean Greaves are known for their
leading the field of emotional intelligence. They have written many books, including the
prequel to Emotional Intelligence 2.0 and founded TalentSmart, a company that provides
consultation for many renowned companies and conducts research, including that referred to
in this book. Reaching people in over 150 countries, these two experts ask:

With 90% of top performers high in EQ, and EQ twice as important as IQ in getting
where you want to go in life, who can afford to ignore it?

Its All About Control:

Two thirds of people are controlled by emotions. This means that the
majority of the workforce is not yet skilled in gauging the emotions of
themselves or those around them. This skill gap leads to an inability to
identify emotions or use them to the workers advantage.

There are five core feelings in which all other emotions are rooted:
happiness, sadness, anger, fear and shame. Experiencing these is natural,
acceptable and unavoidable but exploration and understanding is
paramount to using, controlling and moving past them.

Emotional hijacking takes place when feelings override reason, leading to

reactions often illogical or irrational stemming purely from emotion.
While the emotion itself cannot be disposed of or trained, the thoughts
and reaction immediately following can be, provided the person is aware
and alert.

Triggers are events leading to emotional reactions, often due to history

and experience. These, like hijackings, can be controlled.

The Story Begins Using the example of a man fighting for his
life against a shark, the authors of Emotional Intelligence 2.0 demonstrate how
emotional responses arise from the reasonable
part of the human brain failing to control the
emotional part. Faced with the prospect of being eaten alive, the man
in the story became paralyzed with fear and could not fight back. However,
when chance gave him time, he made a conscious decision to retain control of
his mind, thereby retaining control of his body.
His life was saved.
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 The EQ EBS

Sneak Peek: Once testing is

complete, Emotional Intelligence
2.0 provides simple, helpful tips
like this one:

Clean Up Your Sleep Hygiene:

Good sleep means enough and
of quality is important to ones
ability to exercise the skills
required to focus on strategies
and EQ. The following are
recommended:

Reset the clock by getting

twenty minutes of natural light
in the morning

Improve quality of sleep

and speed of getting there by
The technicalities of emotional intelligence are best
eliminating computer screens
two hours before sleeping

described through a biological approach. Train the brain to associate

bed and sleep by making the
bed a home for sleep-
exclusive activities

Cut caffeine because its

effects are long-lasting and
make it challenging for the
brain to shut down and allow
proper rest

The journey goes like this:

The five senses (see, hear, taste, touch, smell) send electric signals that
must travel through the body to the brain. These signals pass through
cells in the body until reaching the base of the spine, the entry point to What remains constant
the brain. They then move through the limbic system where emotions throughout our discoveries is the
occur and ultimately reach the frontal lobe the home of reason and vitally important role EQ skills
play in the quest to leads a
rationality. Emotional intelligence, then, is awareness of the happy, healthy, and productive
journey and the ability to direct it, ensuring that feelings do not personal and professional life.
control reactions before the brain has the chance to fully process the
(Bradberry & Greaves, 2009, p. 226)
information.

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 The EQ EBS

How Do I Improve my EQ?

Take the Test!
Record your test scores
This can be done on the Emotional Take the online test using the unique
Intelligence Action Plan chart (included, p. 56) passcode provided by Emotional Intelligence
2.0
Select one skill to improve
You will select from the four core skills and Answer a series of questions to determine EQ
may choose the skill recommended by the test
Review EQ scores and recommended
or opt to start with one of your own choice
strategies, and create an EQ Action Plan
Choose three strategies
You will apply these to your chosen skill and (see How Do I Improve my EQ)
may choose the skill recommended by the test
or opt to start with one of your own choice

Find a mentor
This should be
a person skillful
in the area you
are working to
improve and
willing to provide
observation,
feedback and
regular check-ins

Remember the
three Ps
Progress; Practice;
Patience: Improvement involves time and
commitment and these require patience,
practice and knowing that the end goal is The emotional intelligence field is on the
progress, not perfection steep incline of a new wave of understanding
how people can improve their EQ and
Monitor improvement make lasting gains that have a profoundly
When you feel you have achieved the desired
positive impact upon their lives.
results in your first skill, you are encouraged
to retake the test and develop a new plan (Bradberry & Greaves, 2009, p. 9)

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 The EQ EBS

What it Means to be Self-Aware

[EQ is] the single Self-awareness is the ability to understand ones emotions as they
biggest predictor of happen. Self-awareness involves learning where ones emotions
performance in the come from, the reasons
workplace and the
strongest driver of
behind them and how
leadership and personal they are displayed.
excellence. Improving self-
awareness is essential to
(Bradberry & Greaves, 2009, p. 21)
mastering the other
three components of
EQ.

Know Who and What Pushes Your Buttons Stop and Ask Yourself Why You Do the
Self-Awareness Strategies Becoming aware of who and what such as Things You Do
specific people or environments cause All emotions are reactions, so asking why and
emotions to surface will allow one to gain what is key to learning more about them.
Quit Treating Your Feelings as Good or Bad
control of associated reactions. Exploration of
Emotions arise for a reason. Placing judgment on
the reasons behind these causes such as Visit Your Values
them causes a chain reaction leading to more
related past experiences will shed light on Listing personal values and beliefs helps to
emotions and thus, complicating the situation. It
this subject as well. identify what one stands for while recording
is best to acknowledge and explore the feeling
actions that contradicted these provides
rather than place judgment.
Watch Yourself Like a Hawk material for reflection.
Paying close attention ones own behaviors,
Observe the Ripple Effect from Your Emotions
thoughts and, most importantly, emotions, is Check Yourself.
The power of emotional reactions should not be
vital to a full understanding of self. Self- Because mood, emotion and action are closely
underestimated, particularly in regards to their
observation allows time for processing these tied, making the effort to identify ones current
effects on others. Paying close attention to how
elements. emotional state is key to controlling actions
ones own reactions affect others and seeking
and public persona.
feedback is an effective way of working towards
Keep a Journal About Your Emotions
being in control of the effects created.
Recording emotional reactions and the events Spot Your Emotions in Books, Movies, and Music.
that led to them as well as reviewing these Connections happen for a reason and provide
Lean into your discomfort
records will help to ensure self-monitoring is as helpful learning tools. Monitoring emotional
Rather than avoiding a feeling, your goal should
impartial and accurate as possible. connections with various art mediums allows
be to move toward the emotion, into it, and
them to become these tools.
eventually through it. (p.68) It is important to
Dont Be Fooled by a Bad Mood
commit to experiencing uncomfortable feelings in
Acknowledging that bad moods can have an Seek Feedback.
order to fully understand them and know how to
impact on outlook and emotions helps to A staple for improvement, gaining the
alter them or use them to ones advantage.
remind one that moods are only temporary and perspective of others is important in gauging
some situations may not be met with such ones self-awareness. When seeking feedback,
Feel Your Emotions Physically
negative feelings in the future. it is advisable to request clear, direct
Understanding the physical effects that
explanations and specific examples, when
accompany specific emotions is key to early
Dont Be Fooled by a Good Mood, Either possible.
detection and awareness. Reflecting in detail on
Acknowledging that good moods can have an
positive and negative experiences in ones past
impact on outlook and emotions helps to Get to Know Yourself Under Stress.
and observing physical reactions - such as
remind one to take a step back and consider Every person has different emotional and
heartbeat and level of perspiration during
the rational side of decisions because even physical responses to stress. Learning personal
reflection will help with understanding.
positive emotions can lead to poor decisions. warning signs is vital to being aware of stress,
which in turn affects emotional control.

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 Strategies
Self-Management Looks Like: The EQ EBS
Breathe Right
Self-management is the act of managing ones Because the human brain requires 20% of the bodys Oxygen
supply, carefully structured breathing deep, slow consistent
emotions, which, in turn, manages reactions and will allow the rational side of the to function properly and
behaviors. After applying self- awareness to ensure control emotions.
emotions are understood, self-management tools
allow for self-control which can lead to stronger Create an Emotion vs. Reason List
relations, better communication and providing oneself It can be challenging to determine which side of the brain is
suggesting which route. Creating a physical list helps to clarify
the opportunity to act rationally and reasonably.
this differentiation.

Self-Management
Make Your Goals Public
Strategically selecting people to share goals with and
requesting assistance in monitoring personal progress can lead
to better results due to an increased level of accountability.

Count to Ten
When the limbic system that controls emotions takes over,
rationality is overtaken. Taking the time to step back from an
emotionally charged reaction by counting will automatically
help your body and brain to re-adjust and allow your rational
brain to re-enter the equation.

Sleep On It
Taking time away from and to process a situation helps one to
gain clarity and perspective.

Talk To a Skilled Self-Manager

Leading by example can be an effective self-management tool.
Identifying people who are skilled in the area and modeling
their strategies can help to improve ones own self-
management practices.
Speak to Someone Who is Put a Mental Recharge into
Not Emotionally Invested Your Schedule Smile and Laugh More
in Your Problem The brain responds While negative emotions are not to be ignored, sometimes it is
Perspective is valuable when the body is cared necessary to override them. The human brain will respond
and best gained from an for. Exercise helps the positively to the physical elements of smiling and laughing,
outside party, particularly flow of natural systems providing a unique way to guide emotions.
if that party also cares for and recharges mind and
Set Aside Some Time in Your Day for Problem Solving
the seeker. body, leading to better
Decisions made abruptly tend to be less successful than those
self-management.
Learn a Valuable Lesson made in the moment. Setting aside time to consider problems
from Everyone You Accept That Change is Just is an important to tool to assuring they are not addressed
Encounter around the Corner simply through initial emotional reactions.
Flexibility of mind and Accepting and expecting
emotion comes from a change is key to self- Visualize Yourself Succeeding
willingness to learn. management. Taking The brain responds equally to what it sees in the mind and in
Assuming that each time to list potential real life. Therefore, visualizing success in handling situations
person and situation changes may help with and in adopting EQ strategies is more likely to lead to it,
comes with a lesson will becoming comfortable especially when done at night.
assist in making the most in this area. 6
out of interactions. - 6 -
 The EQ EBS

Social Awareness Strategies Go People Watching

Watching others is an
Greet People by Name Plan Ahead for Social Gatherings exceptional way to learn
Because name is crucial to identity, using Having an action plan and about how people feel
peoples names helps to show they are following through will help to and react.
valued. eliminate stress associated with
Make Timing Everything social commitments and, in turn,
Adopting the well-known right place, right leave room for openness and
time concept is helpful when practicing social observation which will improve
awareness, as careful placement of questions quality of socialization.
and responses help to control a situation and Clear Away the Clutter
emotional reactions. Focusing on others is the goal in
Watch Body Language social awareness. Stopping oneself
from focusing on and interjecting
Because body language is
with personal ideas and responses
revealing, paying attention to it
will create space for the other
and can be a useful tool in crafting
person to share.
appropriate responses.
Live in the Moment
The present requires action, so
Develop a Back- Pocket Question while reflection and planning are
Having a generic question especially necessary to improving EQ, Always remember to self-manage; try to
one that allows for self-expression remembering to focus on the task
Take Control of Your Self-Talk
leads to the ability to use it in any at hand is also vital.
There is a close connection between
situation to allow for more control of time or Go on a 15-minute Tour how people think and feel, which
means negative self-talk can lead to
to show the other party their feelings are Because observation leads to negative self-image and make it
important. social awareness, taking fifteen challenging to focus on improving
self-management. Taking steps to
Dont Take Notes at Meetings minutes to explore elements of eliminate demeaning messages to
oneself is, therefore, essential.
Taking notes leaves little room for observation environments such as Suggestions include:
of others and may lead one to miss individual movement, atmosphere and Replace negative certainties -
Changing certain statements (I
reactions, emotional cues and the tone of the mood will help to better always) to non-certainties (I
room. understand the environment and sometimes) leaves room for
change, growth and minimizes the
its people. statement
Think in facts - Leaving judgment
out of thought in lieu of fact
So, What is Social Awareness? provides the opportunity for
reflection and improvement (I
neglected to send that vs. I am a
failure)
Social awareness is about removing focus from oneself to pay attention to Accept responsibility for your
the external in order to determine their emotions. This includes observing actions - Blame is almost always
shared - it is important to be
environments and people and requires the ability to actively pay attention accountable, but equally important
to and even accept the tones and emotions of others. not to take on accountability for
what others have done

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 Strategies
Tackle a Tough Conversation: Strategic navigation of tough
conversations is essential to relationship maintenance. Steps include:
Start with agreement disagreement is inevitable, but it is best to
start off on more positive ground
Ask for understanding clarifying understanding of the other
persons views help to avoid confusion The EQ EBS
Only Get Mad on Purpose Refrain from rebuttal the brain listens more actively if not already
Anger is acceptable when using to make a point engaged in creating a response
rather than as a sudden outlet. Anger should be fully Offer understanding ensuring that the other party understands
controlled and in a time and place strategically ones points through clear, direct, respectful communication will
help avoid confusion on their end
chosen.
Move forward in some cases, it may be necessary to respectfully
agree to disagree and initiate finding a mutually acceptable
Dont Avoid the Inevitable outcome
Choosing to accept and prepare for undesirable, Monitor progress maintaining contact and revisiting the issue or
unavoidable situations will allow for more control of outcome will encourage positive progress, pay tribute to the other
reactions to them. party and ultimately strengthen the relationship

Relationship Management
Acknowledge the Other Persons Feelings
Though it may be uncomfortable, it is important to
take the time to show an awareness of the other
persons feelings.

Compliment the Persons Emotions or Situation

Complementing the other person indicates
understanding and acceptance of their position.

When You Care, Show It

Small gestures of appreciation remind people they are
cared for.

Explain Your Decisions, Dont Just Make Them

Outline the process, considered alternatives and
reasoning behind the outcome when decisions are
made.

Make Your Feedback Direct and Constructive

Feedback is important to anyones improvement, but
ensuring it is helpful, clearly communicated and from Managing Relationships
a place of reason rather than emotion will increase
the possibility of acceptance from the party it is Relationship management is the culmination
provided to. of applying all other EQ components to allow
for positive relationship-building and
Align Your Intention With Your Impact
The concept of good intentions gone awry can be maintenance. Particularly applicable to working
eliminated with careful consideration and planning of through conflict, this component allows one to
implementation. combine awareness of self and others and
emotion management to carefully craft and
Offer a Fix-it Statement During a Broken Conversation mold interactions.
Sometimes it is better to commit to moving forward
and looking for solutions rather than focussing on
laying blame.
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 The EQ EBS

(A Few More) Social Awareness Strategies

Watch EQ at the Movies Step into Their Shoes
Paying attention to the emotional responses of others Asking oneself to view a situation through the
helps to develop social awareness, making movies eyes of other people may lead to a better
packed with character reactions an excellent learning understanding of where they stand and how
tool. they react, and could prevent problems or assist
Practice the Art of Listening with amicable solutions.
Focusing on truly hearing the words of the other Seek the Whole Picture
person will help to pull focus off of ones own thoughts Because feedback aids progress, seeking the
and strengthen the interaction. views of others friends and foe in regards to
Understand the Rules of the Culture Game ones social awareness helps to paint a bigger
It is important to honor cultural demands, which can picture of what is working and what should
be done by learning what people of different cultures change.
need and expect and to meet these when possible. Catch the Mood of the Room
Test for Accuracy Human emotions tend to spread and congeal,
Obtaining clarification or confirmation of observances so being sensitive to the collective tone leads to
is a good step in monitoring social awareness. Asking a high level of social awareness and can lead to
direct questions is the best way to accomplish this. predicting events and reactions.

(A Few More) Relationship Management Strategies

Be Open and Be Curious Avoid giving mixed signals Take Feedback Well
It is important to seek out Body language, words and Constructive criticism
information about others tone must match to properly can lead to emotional
while sharing this about convey commitment to one reactions, but
yourself in order to increase message. practicing awareness
the possibility of strong and management of
relationships and to Build Trust self may curb these,
decrease the likelihood The ability to rely on and believe which in turn protects
of misinterpretation. in others is integral to strong the relationship at
relationships with them. stake.
Enhance Your Natural
Communication Style Remember the Little Things Have an Open Door
Good communication is key That Pack a Punch Policy
to healthy relationships, Small gestures can have Encouraging open
making communication great effects, as can the lack communication
improvement a worthwhile of them. Adopting the helps to build
step. Listing communication practice or incorporating relationships,
strengths and room for such phrases as thank-you especially is
growth and sharing and sorry is a simple way hierarchical
associated goals with others to show others they are restraints are left
is beneficial. valued. out of the equation.

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 The EQ EBS

Discussion Questions
Enjoy the EQ EBS? Then you might like
the rest of the book! Emotional Intelligence 2.0 has several chapters that, while not vital to a
- Did anything surprise you about
lesson in emotional intelligence, will be of interest to any keen student. These are:
this book or Emotional
Intelligence (EQ) as a concept? Foreword: A brief introduction written by Patrick Lencioni, author of The
Five Dysfunctions of a Team and other books on leadership, conflict and
- Have you experienced your
team dynamics
emotions getting the better of
Epilogue: A compilation of interesting facts and information that come as a
you? Will be more equipped to
result of societys growing interest in Emotional Intelligence and the work of
resist or understand this after
Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves company. This includes interesting
reading about EQ? What would
comparisons in EQ statistics, including cultural and gender differences.
you do differently?

Notes: Elaborations on various pieces of information and insight, organized

- Where have you observed
by chapter.
strong EQ or a lack of EQ?

- Do you know someone who Review Emotional Intelligence 2.0 provides readers with the opportunity for successful
could act as an EQ mentor or emotional intelligence (EQ) improvement. By offering a brief explanation of the original concept
role model for you? and following this with thorough explanations of each of the components within EQ, an excellent
basis in the subject matter is provided. While readers new to the work of Travis Bradberry and
- What steps will you take to
Jean Greaves may find themselves wishing for a fuller introduction to the concept, this critique is
rendered invalid given that their previous book exists to provide just that to any avid EQ fans.
start working towards EQ
improvement? The test (included) is easy and provides extensive results to allow readers insight into how they
are managing their emotions. Instructions and worksheets allow the improvement planning
- How could an understanding of process to be virtually foolproof. Arguably, the best part of the process is the option to use
strategies recommended by the test or choose different ones from the database that is this book.
EQ help to improve team
The strategies are well explained in origin and reasoning and provide clear steps to take. With
dynamics? helpful anecdotes along the way to paint a picture of what strong emotional intelligence is and
what is not this book can only be described only as a clear, simple, entertaining and productive
read.
Application One of the best features of this book is that its subject
matter, EQ, can be applied to anything, anyone and anywhere. The statistics
make it clear that emotional intelligence is key to workplace success for many,
given that it allows one to build strong relationships, maintain positive team
dynamics, manage reactions appropriately and to be aware of when these are not
taking place. However, reading through the strategies, one discovers that
emotional intelligence is present in every facet of a persons life. Therefore, EQ
improvement can improve a persons overall performance. Additionally, leaders
should look into EQ due to their roles as examples for others. A strong leader
should be aware of what is going on around them and equally prepared to cite and
work with those strong and weak in the area of EQ.

Bradberry, J. & Greaves, J. (2009). Emotional intelligence 2.0. San

Diego, CA: TalentSmart.

References Schmidt, M. (2014). Talentsmart. Retrieved from http://www.talentsmart.com

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