Today, thousands of companies use EQ tests to determine how well new applicants will fit into their respective companies. Why does emotional intelligence hold such a strong influence over the hiring process? The answer to this question will help you to understand how your own emotional intelligence is affecting your work progress. If you’ve been struggling to make headway in your career, wouldn’t you want to know if your EQ was the reason? It may well be, and here’s why.

People with high EQ work well in teams together

Emotional intelligence is directly related to relationships

The fact that your emotional intelligence will affect how well you work with other people is inescapable. Developing a high EQ will enable you to recognise different personalities, and help you deal with each one effectively. Emotionally intelligent people relate well to others. Whether you work on your own, or within a team, you will eventually have to deal with other people in order to be successful at your career. Working well with others is directly related to job success, as we’ll soon discover.

As the saying goes, “It’s not what you know, but who you know.” In many ways this is true. Many people who are good at their jobs don’t progress in their careers because they struggle with relationships. A good relationship with your superiors and you colleagues can go further than good work ethic. Are you someone who wants to progress further in your current career? If you’re someone who needs to work on your emotional intelligence, this should be enough of a reason to get started.

Goal setting

Setting short term, mid term & long term goals is a habit practiced by people with emotional intelligence. Goals give you something to work towards. If they’re on your mind at all times, you naturally take small actions to achieve them—sometimes even subconsciously. While it may be obvious to some how this can positively affect your career, let’s investigate it a bit more thoroughly in the context of a work environment.

People who set career goals are always doing small things to reach them. Let’s look at someone who sets a mid term goal of being promoted within two years. They will take on extra tasks. Other times they will ask to be a part of meetings or new projects. At all times, these individuals work more efficiently, because the goal drives them to do so. This ultimately results in career success. It also gets them noticed by their company’s superiors, because they come across as focused & ambitious individuals who are going places. It’s all about moving forward as opposed to remaining stagnant.

Turning conflict into productive discussions

Conflict has halted many careers. It can get in the way of a promotion, and even cause you to quit your job or lose it against your will. Learning how to constructively handle conflict is the best way to overcome this danger and rise above it. Emotionally intelligent people have a knack for turning conflict into something more constructive. That’s because they have a desire to recognise the opinion of others. They have a way of thinking that includes the other person’s point as valid and worthy of exploration.

Because confrontational people appreciate feeling as if they’re being heard, conflict resolvers tend to handle them well. Imagine a work colleague complaining to you about something you’ve done. If you’re an individual with a high EQ, you will listen to the person’s point of view and aim to resolve the situation to the satisfaction of you both. You will also be good at conveying your own point of view without it seeming as if you’re drowning out theirs. This is what conflict resolution is all about—validating the other party’s opinion and being empathetic enough to take their feelings into account.

Adapting to change

Change will happen in any work environment whether we like it or not. Some people crave change, while others try to avoid it at all costs. Change is usually just another word for growth, and not being able to grow will hinder your career. A good way to develop your emotional intelligence is to learn how to embrace change. This is easier for some than others, but those who succeed in this mindset alteration often succeed in life.

Consider the stress and uncertainty involved when a company restructures itself. Employees may have to move offices, tackle technology challenges, and learn to initiate new tasks. Emotionally intelligent people can feel the same level of stress as the next person, but handle it very differently to a person who hates change. Individuals with a high EQ will refrain from complaining, and get on with what they have to do—no matter how many problems they encounter.

Owning up

Human beings are naturally defensive, especially when we think our jobs are at stake. When we make mistakes, our automatic response is to justify or defend the mistake. This is often a detrimental direction to take because it causes a lot of frustration for those affected by the mistake. In the end, more damage than good is caused by a defensive attitude to mistakes. This attitude deviates from a team mentality. Instead, it focuses solely on one person and his or her defense.

One of the most pleasant aspects of an emotionally intelligent person is their ability to own up to their mistakes and apologise for them. Because they are empathetic to other people, they immediately see how their actions have affected others. This leads them to admit to their mistakes and take responsibility for them. When a person takes this course of action rather than the former, superiors feel settled in the fact that the mistake will not happen again. On the other hand, defending your mistake makes people think that you haven’t learnt from it; but will instead make it again.

Natural born leaders

A popular sentiment doing its rounds on the internet lately is that there’s a big difference between being a leader and being a boss. This is so true. Leadership books and seminars are a billion dollar industry across the globe. The question on everybody’s minds is, “What does it take to be a good leader?” Some say it’s natural talent, while others claim that leadership skills and be acquired over time. The answer probably lies somewhere in the middle; but what we do know for certain is that emotionally intelligent people make great leaders. Let’s look at why this is the case.

First of all, good leaders are good communicators. They can give instructions without seeming condescending or arrogant. Second, people respect natural leaders because they are easy to connect with on their own level. These leaders are not seen as above their team, but alongside them. Third, leaders possess the ability to resolve conflict among others. Most importantly, leaders have their team’s best interests at heart; which wins them the respect and loyalty they need to get things done.

Honesty, trust, work ethic

Work ethic seems to be on the decline. Punctuality has also become a rare practice among many people. This may stem from a lack of empathy. When people are more self focused, they have no qualms about making others wait. Trust, honesty and work ethic all fall into the same category when it comes to career-orientated EQ. Emotionally intelligent people make a point of being at work on time. They are trustworthy individuals and have no problem delivering on their promises at work.

Workers who are reliable in these three aspects of work are often successful at their jobs. They are the ones who pick up the slack when others are either off sick, late for work, or simply lazy at their jobs. Work ethic invariably leads to promotions, incentives and/or salary increases. For this reason, emotionally intelligent people have an edge over the rest when it comes to career success.

Dealing with emotions constructively

Owning and dealing with an emotion will serve you well in your career. It’s a skill that has been mastered by those with high emotional intelligence. People with a high EQ know how to recognise an emotion without letting it take them over. From there, they are able to deal with it effectively without disrupting their work. Being in control of your anger, despair and fear is the secret to productivity. It allows you to separate yourself from irrational feelings and remain professional in any situation.

Let’s look at a quick example. A colleague has sent you a rude email about a project that hasn’t yet been received. Your initial assumption is that he will communicate this to your superior and gossip about your alleged incompetence to others in the office. This fear needs to be recognised immediately and subsequently dealt with. Someone with a low EQ may react to the email prematurely without thinking it through first, thereby causing more damage than good. However, an emotionally intelligent person will gauge the situation, and respond in a mature way that diffuses the unpleasantness.

Growth and development

Continually moving forward is a key ingredient to overall success in life. If you aren’t growing as a person, you will stay where you are and fall into a rut. Emotionally intelligent people have recognised that career development is not up to anyone else other than themselves. They also know that personal development influences their careers. That’s why people with high EQs continually aim to improve themselves in small ways.

People are creatures of habit. Those who realise this have created positive habits in their lives such as exercise, healthy eating, mind stimulating activities, and organisation strategies. A messy person may argue a predisposition to messiness, but an emotionally intelligent person will try to improve this area of his or her life. Someone who is disorganised or overwhelmed at work, should—for their own sake—recognise it as a negative aspect of their life. From here they can do something such as keep a journal to try and improve on this. This personal growth attitude is what separates successful people from the rest.

A simple case of being happy

Happy people are productive workers. When you have job satisfaction, it enriches your life and creates a snowball effect of success between your personal life and your career. That’s because you’re continually improving yourself, cultivating relationships with the people around you, and retaining a general positive attitude. Emotionally healthy people spread their happiness to others. Your colleagues and your superiors will want to be around you when you’re known as a positive, vibrant, caring person.

The opposite is also true. Negativity can spread like a virus. People who come to work and complain about their personal and work lives are likely to remain stagnant in their careers. They blame external factors and other people for their problems, and struggle to embrace these problems as challenges that can be overcome. The remedy for this negative culture is positive, emotionally intelligent people. They have an uncanny ability to dispel negativity and counter it with a positive attitude—resulting in a generally positive work culture. That’s why workers with a high EQ are more likely to achieve job success, and that’s why managers want these people in their respective companies.

A journey worth taking

The good news is that these points, while they are predispositions in some, can still be cultivated in those for whom they don’t come naturally. This is certainly worth doing, as we’ve seen thus far. Leadership skills, empathy and emotional health can and should be developed for the sake of your career and your personal life. This developmental process is an ongoing journey that takes years for some, and a lifetime for others to achieve.

Now that you know how emotionally intelligent actions directly affect your career success, take the journey to improve on the points you struggle with. The result may surprise you. As your EQ develops and grows, people will begin to see a difference in you. Your superiors will begin to notice you, and your productivity is sure to improve. More than that, however, you will find your life and career more fulfilling—whether in your current job or your next one.

March 13, 2017 by Copley Sutton

9 ways to improve your EQ

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If you’ve recognised the importance of emotional intelligence (EQ), then—like millions of others across the world—you’ve probably asked: “Am I an emotionally intelligent person?” If the answer to this question has been supplied through means of a test, you may relax about the matter—unless of course the result wasn’t a good one. So you have low EQ… What now?

Low EQ isn’t something to get all worked up about. Emotional intelligence can be cultivated and strengthened as you progress in life. This is something that should never end. It’s a journey of sorts; an adventure that will bring much self awareness and relationship satisfaction. It’s important to exercise your emotional intelligence the same way an athlete trains his or her body.

This article will direct you on this journey of EQ development. Here are nine ways you can hone your social skills and grow your emotional intelligence little by little.

Ask the right questions

A wise first step in improving your EQ is by asking relevant questions. These questions will highlight which areas of your interaction with others need to be worked on. Most of these questions relate to your feelings, so it’s important to be honest with yourself and face any difficult realisations head on.

Questions you should regularly ask yourself include the following:

Do you work better on your own, or as part of a team?
When it comes to other people’s arguments, do you consider yourself a peacemaker?
Does change make you uncomfortable, or are you up for new and challenging situations?
Do you often take note of how you are feeling in certain situations?
Do you ask yourself why you are feeling a certain way once you’ve recognised an emotion?
Are you a person who sets short term, mid term and long term goals for yourself?
Are you empathetic to the feelings of others?
Are you often able to see others’ points of view in conversation?
Can you easily persuade someone to do something?
When you get angry or sad, do you stay that way for long or do you recover quickly?
Do you find it easy to admit when you’re wrong, or are you rather defensive?

Meet new personalities

One of the best ways to develop your emotional intelligence is to surround yourself with different kinds of people. Humans differ in temperament, views, and of course emotional intelligence. Learning about different types of people will expand your understanding of various personalities and how to deal with them.

There are many ways you can do this. For one, take a look at the people you work with. There are probably people you speak to every day because you either get along with them or because you have to work with them. Consciously train yourself to direct your attention to others in your office—or the office next door? Make a point of getting to know people on a deeper level. What are they passionate about? How do they see things differently to you? What emotional value can they bring to your life? Reach out to people and you will be amazed at how connected you begin to feel with others.

Go out of your comfort zone

In order to meet new people you need to move outside your usual comfortable routine. Expand your circle wider than your work place and family life. Go out to events and meet new people as often as you can. For people who struggle with emotional intelligence, engagement with others is uncomfortable. This is the time to break out of your comfort zone and force yourself into social situations.

Learn to say ‘yes’ more often. If you’ve been invited to a social event, instead of making excuses why you can’t go, rather just shut your eyes, clench your teeth, and go! You will be forced into social situations that call for one-on-one or group engagement. This will not only give you the opportunity to meet new people, but will also help you learn about yourself and how you engage socially. As you begin to recognise social aspects in others, you will also begin to learn how to analyse those same aspects within yourself.

Start to take a genuine interest in others

While you engage with new people—and people you’ve known for long periods of time—you will begin to notice social characteristics about them. However, it takes a concerted effort to notice subtle aspects of someone’s personality and character. Make this effort, and begin to identify with people on their own level.

It takes all kinds to make the world. Some aspects you are likely to notice include the following:

Some people will use humour in uncomfortable social situations in order to feel included. Laugh at their jokes and make them feel at ease when they’re around you.
Others will be shy and be better at listening than voicing their own opinions. Ask these people questions and affirm their views as valid.
Outspoken people will have no problem with confidence. They will look others in the eye, force themselves into others’ personal space, and interact with them effortlessly. If you’re the opposite kind of person to this, watch and learn to pick up social habits from these kinds of people.

Once you’ve recognised a personality type, it’s easier to socialise with that person on their level. With any luck, they will do the same for you. At this point, it’s helpful to learn more about the person through questions. Find out what their interests are, what motivates them, what lights up their eyes, etc. People will feel connected to you if you ask them about themselves. That’s because most of us love talking about ourselves for the sole reason of wanting to be heard.

Read and use body language

There’s more to observe than the words people say. Body language is a dead giveaway to how people are really feeling and you can use this to benefit communication with others. Many of us don’t realise that it’s almost impossible to hide our true feelings in a social situation. If you’re uncomfortable, people will pick up on it. If you’re uninterested in the conversation topic, people will know. Body language externalises your true emotions. Your arms, legs, hands and feet all tell a story about how you are feeling. So what are you saying to others, and what are they saying to you?

Once you understand how to read the subtle messages of others, you will begin to know how to react to those people in a way that makes them more comfortable. When people are comfortable around you, they will be more likely to open up and trust you. This is a sure way to connect with people who would otherwise remain strangers.

It’s equally important to be aware of your own body language. You are sending subconscious messages to the people around you, and it’s an essential part of emotional intelligence to recognise what messages you are conveying. If you’ve often felt that people struggle to relate to you, it’s very possible that your body language is to blame. An essential part of emotional intelligence is recognising the way you feel, and dealing with the reason why that feeling has surfaced.

Taking the time to research this enables you to gain a wider understanding of how to read the body language of others and use your own body language to help relationships grow.

Disagree without being disagreeable

Not everybody you meet will have the same opinion as you. While having views in common is a great way to connect, it’s important to embrace those who see things differently. You can do this without sacrificing your own opinion. It’s called disagreeing without being disagreeable. Some people struggle with this because they feel strongly about certain topics; but those who have mastered this stance are happier people because they aren’t frustrated by the falsely perceived ignorance of others.

Remember that other people have had different upbringings, different relationships, and different experiences from your own. They see things differently to what you do and have their own perceptions. More often than we’d like to admit, we have a tendency to try and force our opinions on others. This is a big mistake in any relationship. Accept the views of others, voice your own in a non-aggressive way, and move on without any hint of discrimination. In fact, people are more likely to explore your views when they don’t feel forced to do so.

Listen to understand, not to respond

In relationships, disagreements will arise. A major part of emotional intelligence is not avoiding conflict, but handling it correctly. It goes without saying, however, that you will never resolve conflict to the satisfaction of both parties unless you are a good listener. The problem with many people is that they listen in order to respond, rather than to recognise the other person’s point of view. Good leaders are experts at resolving conflict among themselves and others because they know how to listen in a constructive way.

When someone takes the time to confront you about a disagreement, listen closely to what they are saying. Their concerns must make an impression on you or they will not feel heard. Most people won’t take the time to listen to your side of the argument unless they feel that you have heard them out. It takes a lot of patience to see a situation from someone else’s perspective without wanting to push your own perspective to the front of the queue; but this is the secret to conflict resolution. It takes time and practise, but learning this habit is well worth the effort.

Ask people how they feel

We’ve already discussed how body language and conversation are telltale signs of someone’s emotions. Another great way to figure out how people are feeling is to simply ask them openly. When you ask people how they feel about a situation or a conversation, they immediately feel as if you are taking an interest in them. The question, “How does that make you feel?” is a powerful social tool.

Asking people how they feel in a situation also helps that person recognise their own emotions. This will assist them in recognising the emotion as nothing more than a feeling, and subsequently help them deal with it correctly. This social tactic is excellent at calming down those who are prone to anger. It’s also a great way to help people through sadness, depression and fear. Once you help someone recognise their current emotion, both of you will be fully equipped to handle it properly.

Test your EQ once a year

As you continue to work on your EQ, make a point of evaluating yourself on an annual basis. If you’re serious about improving your emotional intelligence, you will be encouraged when you see progress. There are lots of online tests you can take which will score various EQ areas. Do these tests once a year and see where you’ve improved.

Testing your own EQ regularly will also highlight areas you still need to work on. Focus on these areas and you’ll soon see your relationships improve—at work and at home. Self evaluation is powerful. It will remind you of why you’re trying to improve, and emphasise how those improvements should be made.

Work and family provide adequate arenas to develop emotional intelligence, but being around strangers is so much more enriching in this regard. Social and emotional intelligence don’t come naturally for everyone. For some of us, it’s a skill we need to work on daily. Hopefully these points will motivate you to begin the journey of improving and maintaining your EQ. Go easy on yourself, and take it one step at a time. Before you know it, many of these points will become habits that come naturally.

March 10, 2017 by Copley Sutton

The history of Emotional Intelligence

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The concept of Emotional Intelligence has been around for some time. Only in recent decades however, has the theory been studied, refined and given a practical application in the real world. By charting the evolution of emotional intelligence, we can see how our general concept of intelligence has evolved over time to include skills and abilities governed by emotion and not pure intellect.

Before we begin, it is worth defining Emotional Intelligence as used in the context of this article. In this instance, we refer to an individual’s awareness, control and expression of their emotions. This also includes the ability to recognise, respond and manage the emotions of others. All individuals possess emotional intelligence to some degree.

A hint of something beyond the traditional concept of intelligence

The term ‘emotional intelligence’ may be credited to Michael Beldoch where it appeared in his book, ‘The Communication of Emotional Meaning’ in 1964. Beldoch had been studying the ability of people to identify emotions from both verbal and non-verbal modes of communication. Although Beldoch did not explore the concept much further, other researchers picked up on the notion.

During 1966, in the psychotherapeutic journal: Practice of Child Psychology and Child Psychiatry, another reference to emotional intelligence was made by B. Leuner. In a piece entitled ‘Emotional Intelligence and Emancipation’, Leuner put forward the hypothesis that adult women who suffered from low emotional intelligence were more likely to reject their societal roles. He believed that this could be attributed to the fact that they had been separated from their mothers at an early age. He proceeded to treat his patients with LSD; a practice that would be considered most inappropriate today.

It wasn’t until 1983 when a more modern and practical theory of emotional intelligence was put forward. In his book, ‘Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences’, Howard F. Gardner made the bold suggestion that there was more than one type of intelligence. In fact, his model proposed seven intelligences including:

Linguistic intelligence
Logical-mathematical intelligence
Musical intelligence
Bodily-kinaesthetic intelligence
Spatial intelligence
Interpersonal intelligence
Intrapersonal intelligence.

It is Gardner’s definition of Intrapersonal Intelligence that most closely resembles our modern definition of emotional intelligence. Gardener also recognised that these individual notions of intelligence do not operate independently of each other. When faced with a problem to solve, an individual will draw on all their resources to provide a solution. While his theory was not widely applauded by the academic community, it was met with a positive response from educators. Many teachers realised the value of his theory when applied to structuring the curricula of schools.

Slowly but surely, the idea that there was something beyond the limited definition of intelligence was starting to emerge. Beldoch realised that people were able to pick up on the emotions of others using verbal and non-verbal cues. Our ability to decipher another’s emotional state based on their tone of voice and their body language is impressive considering that we are never really taught how to do it. This innate ability is why one could consider it a type of intelligence.

While modern psychotherapists may baulk at B. Leuner’s hypothesis, it does provide another important clue; the idea that your emotional intelligence may have an effect on your behaviour. It was Gardner who moved the community closer to the idea that emotional intelligence forms part of an individual’s overall intelligence. This provided future researchers with a concept they could explore and mould into a practical theory.

Defining the concept and creating a model

While former researchers had touched on the notion of emotional intelligence, they hadn’t clearly defined it. This started to change with the publication of Wayne Payne’s doctoral thesis in 1985, ‘A Study of Emotion: Developing Emotional Intelligence’. In the thesis Payne explored how people develop their emotional intelligence. He raised important questions about the nature of emotion and provided a language and framework for discussing emotions. Finally, he attempted to provide some methods and tools that could be used for developing emotional intelligence.

This was the first time that the topic had been explored in such detail. It provided the framework for many future researchers to approach the subject and flesh out the theory behind it. It also provided them with a structure on which they could start to develop future models and discover practical applications for the concept.

Stanley Greenspan was the first to put forward a model for emotional intelligence in 1989. His research focused on young children which led him to propose that there were six stages of the developmental mind. These stages are:

Stage 1: Security: The ability to look, listen and be calm

This describes the skill of babies to absorb all the activity in their environment while regulating their emotions. It also includes their ability to focus their attention on one thing such as a favourite toy or their mother’s face without becoming over-excited.

Stage 2: Relating: The ability to feel warm and close to others

As the child develops, they learn how to relate to others and respond in a warm and caring manner. It is an important part of their emotional development which normally occurs around 4-6 months of age.

Stage 3: Intentional two-way communication without words

By 18 months, most children will already be able to use non-verbal methods of communication to express themselves. At the same time, they learn how to read the non-verbal cues of others. Children and adults who don’t develop this skill often experience difficult and confusing relationships with others because they are unable to decode these emotional signals.

Stage 4: Solving problems and forming a sense of self

Between the age of 14-18 months, children develop advanced skills in relating to others and use this to further develop their sense of self. It also allows them to start solving problems with the help of others.

Stage 5: Emotional ideas

In the time between 18 months and the age of 3, children develop the ability to express their emotions in words and pictures. For example, instead of crying the child is able to tell you that they’re angry or upset.

Stage 6: Emotional thinking

3-4 year old children are able to connect their emotions to other concepts and causes. They not only label emotions, but are able to explain the circumstances that cause them to feel a certain way. For example, a child will tell you they are sad because someone took their favourite toy.

By tracking the development of emotional intelligence in children, Greenspan illustrated that not only does it help to form an individual’s personality; it also contributes to their intelligence. Being able to understand and respond appropriately to the emotions of others play a significant role in everyday problem-solving.

Another important event in 1985 was when Peter Savoy and John Mayer put forward the Four Branch Model of Emotional Intelligence. This consisted of four skills that, when put together, describe the many facets of emotional intelligence. These four branches are:

Perceiving emotion: The ability to read both verbal and non-verbal cues in others to determine their emotional state is an essential component of communication. It also paves the way for a more advanced understanding of emotion.
Using emotions to facilitate thought: We actively respond to emotions in others because their emotional state has the ability to affect our thinking. Emotion has the ability to affect our creativity as it grabs our attention, enters our cognitive system and influences & directs it.
Understanding emotions: It is not only essential that we correctly decode another’s emotional state; we must be able to comprehend what that emotion signifies. We need to be able to put in a context and even determine the cause.
Managing emotions: This may refer to both your emotions and the emotions of others in your social circle. Having the ability to control your emotions (wherever possible) and responding appropriately to the emotions of others is a key skill. It allows us to achieve our own goals and to help others achieve theirs.

Let’s use an example to see Savoy and Mayer’s model in action. Imagine that a colleague comes into your office and from their tone of voice you are able to sense that they are angry (perceiving emotion). You remember hearing that they are experiencing difficulties with an important project (using emotions to facilitate thought). You realise that your colleague is under a great deal of pressure (understanding emotions). Although a setback on their side will affect your own work, you decide to remain calm and ask them if there’s anything you can do to help (managing emotions).

Between Greenspan, and Savoy and Mayer, our modern interpretation of emotional started to develop. The concept was still not widely accepted, but that was about to change.

The popularisation of emotional intelligence

It was David Goleman’s 1995 book, ‘Emotional Intelligence – Why it can matter more than IQ’, that brought the concept of emotional intelligence to the attention of the general public. His theories have had a profound impact on the education and business sectors. By using the model suggested by Savoy and Mayer, Goleman went on to develop his own model. Here is a brief synopsis of Goleman’s Five Components of Emotional Intelligence:

Emotional self-awareness: This is the ability to identify and understand the emotions of others and the effect it has on our own emotions.
Self-regulation: This is the ability to control our emotions and examine them objectively before deciding on a course of action.
Internal motivation: This refers to our ability to pursue a goal persistently, despite any obstacles we may face. It includes a sense of optimism and a strong desire to achieve something.
Empathy: This is the ability to understand and respond emotionally to others, based on their emotional state appropriately.
Social skills: This is the ability to build relationships with others by creating rapport between members of a social group.

The effect of Goleman’s book elevated the concept of emotional intelligence from an obscure theory studied by psychologists to one that could be applied practically in various areas of the average person’s life such as their work space and family relationships. Humans are social creatures and we are constantly involved in relationships. Our ability to read, respond to and manage our emotions has a direct impact on our personal, professional and private lives.

What Goleman managed to illustrate was how emotional intelligence could be developed to achieve happiness and success. It’s hardly surprising that the business world, and in particular the area of human resources found his theory so exciting.

While workers are often hired for their knowledge and skills, this is not a good indicator of their future performance within an organisation. In fact, many human resource departments now include a form of emotional intelligence testing in their recruitment process. The results have indicated that employees who exhibit a high emotional intelligence tend to perform better than equally knowledgeable and skilled, but less emotionally intelligent candidates.

Goleman wrote several other books on the importance of emotional intelligence in the workplace. As healthy relationships are so essential to our performance, well-being and ability to solve problems and achieve goals, it’s clear to see why emotional intelligence is such an important topic. Even educators have incorporated elements of his theories on emotional intelligence to adapt their approach. Many schools around the world have achieved success by implementing his social and emotional learning (SEL) programme.

Since researches first touched on the idea of emotional intelligence, it has become a world-wide phenomenon. Thanks to the work of Greenspan, Savoy and Mather we gained a better understanding of the aspects of what emotional intelligence. The work of Daniel Goleman has contributed significantly to the practical application of emotional intelligence in business and education.

Emotional intelligence may be a relatively new concept, but it is a powerful one. As more people and businesses come to appreciate the importance of emotional intelligence, it is essential for every individual to understand it and learn how to use it effectively.

March 9, 2017 by Copley Sutton

What is Emotional Intelligence?

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Logic is part of the human brain’s natural capacity. Problem solving, spatial reasoning & math are different forms of logic our brains are capable of. The better you are at these and other areas of thinking, the more ‘intelligent’ experts will say you are. The aspect which is represented by these capabilities is IQ and it’s measured by IQ tests that determine your level of logical intelligence.

Apart from this, there’s a different kind of intelligence that is equally important. Emotional intelligence has to do with how we interact with other human beings. It’s about empathy, compassion, communication, leadership skills, relationships, and more. When it comes to these aspects of feeling, logic doesn’t play a huge role. The aspect we focus on here is emotional intelligence; or EQ.

The same way your IQ can be measured, so too can your EQ be determined through various assessments. Your emotional state of mind can be dissected and analysed so thoroughly, that experts can now tell you whether or not you have a propensity to get along with your work colleagues, your family and even your partner. Let’s take a quick look at why it’s important to be curious about your EQ.

Why should you care about your EQ?

So you may be wondering why emotional intelligence is something you should care about. How does it affect you and why should you take note of it? The answer is simple. Every human being has an inclination toward relationships. Some of us enjoy being alone more than others; but all of us need some form of companionship in our lives.

You and I cannot avoid working with people. As a society, we are all interwoven with each other. More than that, we need each other. Daily tasks force us to deal with people. Even going to a shop requires this skill and you can’t learn anything unless you form a relationship with your teacher. Interaction with other human beings is an exchange of questions, ideas and personalities.

For this reason, recognising your own EQ—and the EQ of others—puts you in a position where relationships can be better understood. This will help you to connect with people on a deeper level. Once you achieve this connection your nature and approach to life are impacted. Your career, your family life and your friendships will begin to thrive. EQ is the door to understanding the people around you. You can also apply these skills to try improve other people’s understanding of you.
Who discovered the concept of EQ?

In 1989, Stanley Greenspan, a psychiatric professor, suggested that people could be emotionally intelligent. His theory suggested that this category of intelligence was independent from logical intelligence and that the two were in fact mutually exclusive.

The phrase ‘Emotional Intelligence’ was coined by other experts such as Peter Salovey and John Mayer. Only in 1995 however, was the term popularised by Daniel Goleman. Goleman wrote a book called “Emotional Intelligence: Why it can matter more than IQ”. The public took instant notice of how important EQ was and how it affected their day-to-day lives, their careers, and their relationships.

Daniel Goleman’s book speaks at length about what emotional intelligence is, how it is developed in children, and how it affects our everyday lives. When people started to realise that EQ was a real phenomenon which was affecting them without them even realising it, the idea influenced how people approached life and relationships. Today, emotional intelligence is a measuring tool used by managers, personnel agents and even dating sites. It’s all about measuring your emotional potential for the purpose of highlighting your strengths and areas for development. Knowing what you’re good at and what you struggle with will enable these entities to place you in more compatible positions and situations. It’s a powerful concept which is changing the way we do business.

What distinguishes EQ from IQ?

Since we’re talking about two different types of intelligence here, it’s important for us to distinguish between the two. You’ll find it interesting how different these two ways of thinking are. When it comes to logical thinking and emotional thinking it’s a case of reason versus passion. Both are important, so let’s see how you can recognise each one respectively.

Logical thinking

People who think in a severely logical way can come across as cold and robotic. They are extremely good at solving problems, carrying out instructions and organising information. Logical thinkers prefer to have a task presented to them in an organised, step-by-step format. They will listen closely to what you want done, how you want it done and when it needs to be completed.

Emotional thinkers

Emotional intelligence opens up a different way of thinking. These people are more relationship orientated and will be more inclined to look at a task close up. Emotional thinkers are more interested in the ‘why’ of a task rather than the ‘what’, ‘when’ & ‘how’. They take initiative and sometimes go off track to reach a more creative outcome.

A balance of both types of intelligence is important. People who are too logical may struggle with relationships, while people who are not logical enough will seem whimsical and easily distracted. Emotional intelligence does seem to have a bigger impact though, especially in the work place. Why? Think of someone who can’t work well with other people. This person will inevitably begin to dislike his or her job and alienate themselves from others. Low emotional intelligence will also impede a person’s ability to work in a team, which is an important aspect to many businesses.

How can EQ be measured?

The best way to measure someone’s emotional intelligence is to ask them questions about themselves. These questions can be broken down into five main categories—although there are a lot of different tests out there which each utilise their own respective systems.

Emotional intelligence tests will focus on the following aspects of your personality:

Trust
Personal growth
Relationships
Communication
Leadership

The following types of questions (and subsequent similar ones) may be asked to establish these aspects:

Trust: “Do you get the impression that the people in your life trust you?”
Personal growth: “How do you handle new challenges in the work place?”
Relationships: “Do people open up to you freely or do they seem guarded around you?”
Communication: “How do you handle conflict in the work place?”
Leadership: “How would you handle a situation where a person under your management didn’t deliver a task you gave them?”

The feedback gives the questioner in-depth knowledge into the way the subject thinks and acts in various situations. The subject will obtain an overall EQ score which will determine whether or not he or she is compatible with the position in question.

The important role of EQ in the workplace

Emotional intelligence will affect the way you work with others, the way you lead, and the way you grow within a company. Because of this, companies are beginning to evaluate their applicants’ emotional intelligence before offering them jobs. There’s a good reason to do this: productivity. The better suited an applicant is to a position, the more productive they will be during their time there.

There are a number of employee performance aspects which are important to managers. Each one is directly related to emotional intelligence, which is why they will measure this before employing or promoting someone. Let’s look at five of these aspects.

Leadership skills

Emotionally intelligent people are good at leading others. That’s because they are able to connect with people on a personal level, which generates loyalty, respect and trust.

Working well with others

Because people with high EQ connect so well with others, they are able to form a synchronicity as a team. When a team works well together, productivity soars. Productivity is unavoidably reliant on how well employees get on with each other. If there’s hostility or indifference in the workplace, work will take longer to get done and conflict will get in the way of daily tasks.

Drive & ambition

Emotionally intelligent people enjoy being challenged. They see these challenges as opportunities to shine. By overcoming challenges and constantly learning, individuals can be promoted within the company and become indispensable assets.

Conflict resolution

People with low EQ will usually shy away from conflict or react aggressively when challenged or criticised. This can be due to an inability to communicate well or work through inner conflicts brought about by self-doubt. This means that problems—especially relationship problems—never get resolved. In contrast, people who are emotionally intelligent will meet conflict head on and handle it in a productive way towards eventual resolution.

Honesty & reliability

Workers with high EQ have a natural empathy for others. This motivates them to think twice before coming to work late, ignoring tasks or betraying someone’s trust. Trust in a company is invaluable, and employees who can be trusted will go far within a large corporation.

To sum it up; EQ is vital to career success. Companies don’t want temporary workers who dislike their jobs and their colleagues. They want natural born leaders who grab each day by the horns and make the most of their day.

How EQ affects other aspects of your life

EQ also plays a major role outside of the workplace. Our relationships are unavoidably affected by the level of EQ we possess. In the same manner that our regular intelligence can be worked on, our emotional intelligence can be improved too. This will take time, effort and guidance. Why is this worth doing? Let’s look at some of the areas in our lives which will be affected when we aim to improve our emotional intelligence.

Romantic relationships

Knowing who you are and how you relate to others is a major factor in making your relationship with your partner work. In fact, if you aren’t able to connect on some level with other human beings, you’ll probably never get to the point of allowing someone into your life and starting a life with them. Even after this does happen, staying with the same person for the rest of your life takes work, commitment, understanding, compromise and trust. All these aspects are intrinsically connected to the EQ of both people involved.

Parenting

Children require a lot of patience, compassion and guidance. Kids also need their own emotional intelligence cultivated; and it takes an emotionally intelligent parent to make it happen. Parents with high EQs tend to make excellent parents because they are great communicators, effective leaders, and resourceful teachers.

Friendships

Very few people have more than two or three real friends that they can count on in any situation. Cultivating real friendships is often a lifelong process—and a lot can go wrong in one lifetime. With good conflict resolution abilities, excellent listening skills, and true compassion, friendships can grow to become your support system and benefit your life. Emotionally intelligent people not only find it easy to make friends, but they are experts at retaining them too.

Cultivating an EQ culture at work and at home

Daniel Goleman’s book is full of useful advice on how to recognise emotional intelligence in ourselves and in others. He also teaches how important it is to cultivate emotional intelligence in children from as young an age as possible. More than that, Goleman also emphasises how important EQ is in the workplace. Since his book was published in 1995, many people have taken note of his advice and created a culture of EQ recognition in their lives and businesses.

Today, emotional intelligence can be recognised, measured and cultivated. This is for the benefit of people and businesses. If you haven’t yet taken note of your own EQ and that of the people you surround yourself with, do so now. It’s a journey well worth taking. Now that you know the basics, you can incorporate it into your life through study and practice.

February 23, 2017 by Copley Sutton

5 awesome laundry hacks for bachelors

Blogging Articles

Washmen have come up with five ways to ensure that dry cleaning in Dubai is the last thing on a bachelor’s mind. If you’re an unmarried guy who wants to save time on laundry in the most convenient way possible, then these hacks are perfect for you!

Use your phone to manage your laundry

Yes, it’s true: there are apps for managing your laundry in Dubai. This promises great potential for your bachelor lifestyle. Why? Because it’s so convenient and quick it’ll soon become a regular, unobtrusive part of your life.

Have your laundry fetched & delivered

Between dating, working and hanging with friends, there’s very little time to worry about laundry & dry cleaning. As a bachelor, why not add more convenience & time to your schedule by arranging a laundry pick-up and drop-off from Washmen?

Pay less during peak times

Washmen are not only already competitive with their pricing, but they actually discount you if you come in during their busiest hour! Other Laundromats will charge you more, but with Washmen’s ‘Happy Hour’, you pay less during their peak time.

Pay electronically

If you still have to withdraw cash for your laundry, it may be time to switch to another Laundromat. Washmen will not only facilitate online payment, but also send your receipts electronically via email. No pesky slips and no need to withdraw cash. Payment is a breeze when you do your laundry at Washmen, so ask us today about our dry cleaning prices.

Get an ‘All-You-Can-Wash’ bag

The best hack is this nifty invention from Washmen. It’s a bag that costs you a flat 79 AED every time you bring it in. Fill it up with as much of your laundry as you can. When it’s full, bring it in and pay the same price every time. That not only makes budgeting easier, but gives you a guideline on when it’s time to do the laundry!

February 6, 2017 by Copley Sutton

What’s worse: Fat or sugar?

The diet hype has propagated a theory that fatty foods and fat in general is the main cause for obesity in people across the world. The general advice to those who wish to lose weight seems to be something similar to, “Just cut out fat from your diet, and exercise regularly.”

But is this advice sound? Does it correspond with the newest studies done on the problem of obesity? The short answer is “No!” Let’s take a look at how the no-fat fallacy has crept into our thinking and what the real culprit in obesity is.

The no-fat revolution and its side effects

Fifteen years ago you’d be hard-pressed to find a diet book that told you eating fat was fine. And yet there was not enough demonization of sugar either. Fat was considered to be the main cause of obesity while sugar was left mostly unchecked.

But with newer studies we now understand that depriving your body of fat will make you… you guessed it; FAT! What so many people fail to recognize is that not putting fat into your body will cause your body to frantically store the fat it already has. This is a basic survival mechanism your body has.

Now let’s turn our attention to sugar. Eating foods that contain processed sugars causes a vicious cycle which you will soon see. Sugar in the body that is not burnt up will eventually be stored as fat. Now because you’re not eating fat, your body is holding on to those fat reserves for dear life. The result: obesity, as well as a multitude of other health problems.

Hidden sugar everywhere

What’s worse about this vicious cycle is that it sneaks up on people without them realizing it. You may be trying to avoid sugar as much as you can, but there are a multitude of foods that contain sugar. If you aren’t educated about what certain foods contain, you may be consuming a lot of sugar without even realizing it.

Something as simple as commercial bread is packed with processed sugar. Yoghurt is thought to be a healthy snack, but almost all flavoured yoghurts contain some form of sugar. Cereal is another culprit that is sadly consumed by children and adults every day. These are just a few.

Added sugar is not a food – it’s a chemical

There are many forms of raw sugar that come across in nature. These include fruit, honey, corn, sugar cane, and starchy vegetables and grains such as potatoes or rice. However, once these sugars come into contact with processing plants, they take on a new property. They are chemically altered into things like processed sugar, high fructose corn syrup, fructose, etc. These sugars are then added to the everyday food you consume and then wreak havoc on your health.

Something else to consider is that when companies add sugar to their products, they are doing so for one reason: to make more profits. They know that adding chemically altered sugar is a sure way to sell more of their product by getting people to crave it more.

The dangers of cutting fat out of your diet

Add to this the fact that you have been told by your dietician or doctor to stop eating fat. Fat plays an important role in the healthy functioning of your body. Cholesterol from eggs has been shown as an essential ingredient in brain function. Omega fatty acids are also important for a healthy heart, while other oils are excellent for joints and cartilage function.

As already mentioned, eating fat is also a good way of losing weight. By letting your body know that it gets regular amounts of fat, it will release the fat it already has instead of holding on to it as a survival method.

Conclusion

Imagine the disinformation out there saying that fat is bad and sugar is good. According to many tests, the opposite is now believed to be true by reputable nutritionists. Unfortunately, this information seems to have escaped modern South African nutritionists who are still peddling the no-fat fallacy. It’s time to get the most up-to-date information on the subject and start telling people the truth about why they are unable to lose weight.

July 5, 2016 by Copley Sutton

Leptin: The hormone that tells you you’ve had enough

Blogging Articles

Hormones regulate the way we think, do and say just about everything. When it comes to our bodies’ most basic survival ability—eating—one such hormone, known as Leptin, may cause more damage than good.

More research into this tiny little hormone has suggested that a lack of Leptin may be the main cause of obesity. Research also indicates that people who develop a resistance to Leptin become overweight because there’s no signal in the brain telling them that they are satiated.

So if Leptin resistance and depletion are the main causes of obesity, then there are a few important questions we need to ask:

What causes people to become Leptin resistant?
Are there methods to reverse the effects of Leptin deficiency and what are they?
How can we harness this knowledge about Leptin to live a healthy, balanced life?

What causes people to become Leptin resistant?

If Leptin resistance is the effect, we must analyze the cause if we want to prevent the eventual deficiency of this crucial hormone. Doing so successfully will result in maintaining a well balanced weight and lifestyle.

Strangely enough, the first cause of Leptin resistance is high levels of Leptin. Too much of a hormone can cause the brain to stop responding to it.

Another cause of Leptin resistance is elevated levels of free fatty acids. Eating too much food with free fatty acids causes a disruption in the brain and blocks off Leptin signalling. The Leptin is still there, but the brain doesn’t respond to it.

Too much fructose (fruit sugar) will also cause Leptin resistance.

The final main reason for Leptin resistance is inflammation of the hypothalamus. This is a region in the front of your brain that regulates the nervous system and most of the basic survival functions such as hunger, thirst, sleep, and body temperature. A chemical imbalance in this region of your brain can cause Leptin resistance.

Are there methods to reverse the effects of Leptin resistance and what are they?

Now that we know the cause of Leptin resistance, we can confidently work on fixing the problem. There are strategies that you can implement in your diet incrementally that will prevent and even reverse Leptin resistance.

The most important first step to take is to avoid eating carbohydrates as much as you can. There are a number of foods that contain hidden sugar, and these should be identified and removed from your diet.
Exercising will bring a measure of hormonal balance back to your body and brain allowing it to read the Leptin hormone once again.
Eating lots of soluble fibre will also bring harmony to your digestive system and reverse Leptin resistance.
Foods that contain high levels of protein actually increase the Leptin hormone in your body.
Getting enough sleep will also improve the Leptin in your body.

How can we harness this knowledge about Leptin to live a healthy, balanced life?

It’s all very well knowing about Leptin, but we must implement this knowledge if we are to benefit from it. The fact is: our western diet may have a lot of variety, but most of the foods we eat are disrupting the hormonal balance in our brains. This imbalance is showing in our society’s growing obesity problem.

The main thing about Leptin is that if the brain doesn’t have enough of it (or if the brain isn’t responding to it), then you will always feel hungry. This hunger usually translates into you eating more of the wrong foods that cause Leptin resistance, and so the cycle continues.

Fixing Leptin resistance and low levels of Leptin isn’t something that can be done overnight. It takes a well balanced strategy to undo the problem and restore the body to optimum health.

May 31, 2016 by Copley Sutton

7 commonalities between junk food and drugs

There are some glaring similarities between illegal drug use, and food addiction. Certain food are actually designed to make you crave them again and again. As a society, we have no qualms condemning drugs as dangerous and reckless. Shouldn’t we start adopting a mindset that condemns dangerous foods that contain addictive and damaging properties?

Here are seven similarities between drug addiction and food addiction that must be recognized.

Wanting more and more

One thing that’s evident about junk food and sugar is that the more you eat, the more you seem to want to eat. You can do an experiment at home and eat food that contains high sugar. Even if you don’t crave more right away, chances are your body will crave more later on. After a while you will feel sluggish—and maybe even a little guilty—resulting in the desire to eat more sugar.

The sugar in food increases serotonin in the brain (a hormone that makes us feel happiness and comfort). This same hormone is aggressively stimulated by hard drugs. The problem with over stimulation of serotonin is that at some point, your brain hits a low because of depletion. The only way to get that ‘high’ back is by eating more of the same foods that caused the stimulation in the first place.

A lack of satiation

There are two different types of enjoyment when eating.

The on is the satisfaction of hunger. Your body gets hungry for certain nutrients that it needs, and you satisfy the hunger with nutritious food. This in turn helps you to enjoy your food and feel good about eating.
The other is eating because of the way the food makes you feel. It tastes good, and therefore makes you think you are satisfying your hunger.

The problem with the second type of enjoyment is that it can easily override the natural feeling of hunger. Basically, you are feeding yourself with food that is satisfying a craving, but not the actual hunger. This results in a nutrition deficiency and if unchecked, full blown food addiction.

Drugs work in very much the same way as the second form of eating. Your brain tells you that it needs the chemical, but in actual fact your body is being damaged by it. When you crave sugar or junk food, your body doesn’t need it at all. The chemical is fooling your brain into thinking you do.

Damage to the body

That brings us to the third similarity. The very food that is triggering your brain’s serotonin is actually causing very real damage to your body. Like drugs, if you continue to eat unhealthy food, you will incrementally damage your health and cause irreversible side effects.

In addition to the dangerous chemicals entering your body, you are also depriving your body of the nutrition it does need. This of course causes further damage.

Conditioning of the brain

If a habit is formed where eating in a certain way becomes the norm, then breaking out of that habit is extremely difficult. Because of the chemicals involved, the brain will continue to signal for more of the substance.

Now to be fair, for some, breaking off a food addiction is relatively easier than breaking off a drug addiction; but the science remains the same. There has to be a cold turkey effect—a breaking off of the substance in order to replenish balance.

Replacing the ambitions

A scary part about food addiction is that is can consume you as much as any other substance abuse problem. In a sense, the food addict lives for his or her next ‘fix’. The only thing some people look forward to is their next meal or snack.

This can lead to a serious lack of drive and ambition. Instead of working on their careers or achieving their goals, they develop an obsession with eating. This of course is not due to the eating itself; it stems from the chemical reaction certain foods have on the brain.

Secrets and lack of self confidence

There is a strong emotional attachment to junk food binging as well as drug use. Many people who struggle with their weight are ashamed to eat in public. Why? Because actively partaking in the action that is causing the problem creates a sense of guilt.

Drug use is also done in secret. The association we have with a drug user is someone who locks themselves in a dark room and partakes of their guilty pleasure. Food binging is no different.

The need for rehabilitation

There is a series of symptoms that officially determine whether or not a person is addicted or not. These symptoms are not physical, but behavioural. They include:

Wanting to quit but not being able to
Not quitting despite negative physical symptoms
An addictive mindset that uses the substance as an escape

As many therapists will tell you, the best way to break a bad habit is to replace it with a new one. When it comes to food addiction, good habits like exercise, healthy eating, self confidence, etc. can become strong motivators in curbing destructive behaviour.

These similarities are actually quite frightening. It shows that we have come to a point where we must unapologetically view sugar as a drug. If you have recognized these symptoms in yourself or anyone you know, it may be time to confront binge eating for what it really is: An addiction.

May 19, 2016 by Copley Sutton

16 ways to enhance performance in preschool children through gross motor skills

Blogging Articles

Gross motor skill development is creating exercises for children that help develop activity areas in the brain. The skills your child will learn include balance, hand-eye coordination, rhythm, reflexes and basic exercise.

It’s a lot of fun, so be sure to take part in these activities with your child. Chances are; if they see you doing it, they will better understand how to do it themselves. Therefore, make sure you demonstrate these actions before asking your child to perform them.

Throwing a ball through an open door or goal post

Let your child stand sideways and toss a ball towards a target or goal post. This is surprisingly challenging for younger children so be patient as they figure it out. Once they succeed, move them slightly back and enhance the challenge.

Bounce a ball off a wall and through a goal post

Teach your child a basic understanding of angles by doing the same exercise as above but by bouncing the ball off a wall first. The ball should bounce off a nearby wall and into the goal post. Reposition your child once they have successfully made the target and let them try again from a different angle.

Soccer ball challenge

Rhythm and balance play a huge part in gross motor skills development. A great exercise is to have one foot on the ball and the other flat on the ground. Alternate between the two and then speed up the alternation. This is done best with some music playing so that your child can perform the exercise to a beat in a song.

Tennis racket challenge

Grab a tennis ball and a racket and get your child to walk while balancing the ball on the racket without touching it. After a while, tell them to only use one hand to hold the racket. As they get better at this, extend the walking distance.

Basic body balance

Standing on one foot at a time teaches your child balance. Alternate between both feet and be sure that equal time is spent both ways. Make it interesting by adding something to pick up with his or her mouth—like a packet or a basket with a large handle. You can also get your child to hop on the leg he or she is standing on.

Hula hoop stepping

Place about seven hula hoops side by side flat on the ground. Demonstrate the exercise to your child by stepping three times in each hoop and then skipping to the next. Count, “One-two-three” as you do this. Now watch as your child does the same and correct them if they step less or more than three steps within each hoop.

Bounce and catch

Throwing a ball up and catching it is a great exercise. But if your child needs a challenge, let them bounce it and catch it as it comes up. This teaches them both hand-eye coordination and reflex training.

Stair hopping

If your child has loads of energy, this one will tire them out. Get your child to hop up a flight of stairs with both feet at the same time. Make sure to supervise your child to make sure they don’t get hurt. Do it with them for a great workout!

Catch the handkerchief

Find a light handkerchief or scarf and hold it fairly high above your child’s head. As you drop it, let them grapple to catch it. Once they get the hang of it, let them throw it up themselves, twist completely around, and catch it as they stop.

Sevens

A great game for five-six year olds is Sevens. This game seems simple at first, but it takes a lot of concentration to get it right. Perform any task with a tennis ball such as bouncing it against the wall and catching it or simply throwing it in the air. Whatever you do, your child must do the same seven times in a row without deviation. If they get it right, they pose the next challenge—and so the game continues. (Best played in groups of four or five kids.)

Throw – Look – Catch

This is a hard one, but it’s worth teaching your child hand-eye coordination. Get them to throw a medium or small sized ball up into the air, then to look ahead of them, and then to look up again to catch it. After a while, your child should be able to throw the ball up without looking, and then catch it while looking straight ahead.

Fun with Frisbees

Frisbees are great for gross motor skill enhancement. Place a goal post or target somewhere on your lawn and get your child to throw the Frisbee to the target. If they hit the target, move them further back to enhance the challenge.

Kicking angles

Place a soccer ball on the ground and place a goal post either straight ahead, left of, or right of your child. Show them that if they kick the ball in the centre, the ball will travel straight. If they kick the left side of the ball, it will travel right; and if they kick the right, it will travel left. Alter the goal post to make them figure out how to kick the ball to make their target.

Rhythm exercises

You can use your initiative with this one. Create clapping and stomping sounds in a circle with your child and his or her friends. Be sure to create a systematic beat, like “clap clap (pause) stomp stomp clap clap clap”. Remembering the beat is great for developing their musical abilities.

Catch the balloon

An activity that stimulates the reflexes of your child is ‘catch the balloon’. Begin by holding two large balloons in your hands. Stand opposite your child and tell them to catch one of the balloons before it drops to the ground. Release one of them and watch your five year old grapple for the balloon before it touches the floor. If they start getting the knack for it, let some air out of the balloon to heighten the challenge.

Thrust a ball up with feet and legs

This is one of the hardest exercises, so leave it for after your child has developed the other skills. Demonstrate this activity by grabbing hold of a soccer ball between your ankles and throwing it up—then catching it with your hands. This exercise will leave you both out of breath, so leave it for a Friday afternoon.

Remember…

When doing these exercises, encouragement is of utmost importance. If your child struggles with any of the challenges, let them see it as a game and not as a task. Each activity must be fun and engaging. Failure to perform well in any of these ten activities simply means that some more time should be spent on them. Enjoy!

November 16, 2015 by Copley Sutton

5 ways to convert VISITORS into CUSTOMERS

The blogs you have are nice. Your AdWords campaign is getting lots of clicks. Even your social media page is receiving loads of comments and feedback. But how are your sales looking? If you aren’t converting your audience into paying customers, what’s the point of it all? Here are five practical ways to actively transform website TRAFFIC into online SALES.

Adapting to the culture of your audience

You’ll never get into the head of your customer unless you understand the way they speak, think and act. Customer circles have individual cultures. If you can tap into that culture, you’re on your way to establishing a client base. But how?

Getting in touch with the culture of your client involves the following:

Understanding the vernacular of your audience. How they speak, what they respond to and what they like.
Be controversial in your posts. If you can gauge people’s responses, you can read them better.
What is your audience doing on the weekend? If they are somewhere, that’s exactly where you want to be. Take part in events and host your own. Travelling the same circles as your audience is a great way to market yourself!

Find out what makes them buy

Your audience is spending their money on something. If they’re using a service similar to yours—or if they’re buying your products elsewhere—you need to find out WHERE!

More than that, you need to establish WHY they are buying somewhere else and not from you. Someone is offering your potential clients something more than you are. The only way to win them is to find out what extra mile you can go to gain their loyalty.

This isn’t always about price—although sometimes it is. But most clients want VALUE for what they are already spending. Study your competitors and find out what you could be doing differently.

You can’t go wrong with landing pages

This is the ace in the hole! Landing pages are a sure way to take visitors and turn them into customers. If you’ve never tried a landing page to sell a product or service, TRY IT RIGHT NOW!

A landing page is an external web page that has been designed to intensely sell an individual product or service. It prompts people to follow your call to action and takes them through a sales funnel which leads them to buy on the spot.

Use existing customers to get new ones

Your current customers are a commodity you MUST cash in on. Here are some ways to use them to gain NEW customers:

Have two or three of your best customers write a reference letter for you. When quoting new customers, offer to send them a reference letter from a satisfied customer.
Get as many customers as you can to write testimonials for your website.
If you receive a compliment from a client, ask them to mention it on your social media page—and to share it with their friends!

Become an authority in your industry

Do you follow the trends of your industry or do you set them? Your answer could mean the difference between being an industry leader, and fighting for your percentage of the market!

Study your industry. Become more knowledgeable than your competitors. A good way to do this is to set aside one hour every day dedicated to research and reading. Discover new ways to reach your audience. Set the trend, and have others follow YOU!

Website visitors CAN and WILL buy from you! But if all of this sounds like a lot of work to you, don’t fret. Leapfrog Media is dedicated to these practices and we do them on behalf of our clients. If you’d like more information on how we go about our strategies, give us a call.

About the Author: Copley Sutton writes for businesses across the globe. Companies in the UK, Australia, the US & South Africa utilise his copywriting services to increase their website traffic and increase sales.

Category / Blogging Articles

How does EQ affect career success?