Emotional intelligence has proven to be a better indicator for success in the workplace than cognitive intelligence. Historically, people tended to not be vulnerable in the workplace. Millennials and Gen Z place a strong value on emotional honesty, selective vulnerability, independence and individuality. This is apparent in all areas of life and we see if play out in shows, books and in social media. 

Self-awareness is the ability to recognize and understand your own thoughts, feelings, and emotions. It's a key part of emotional intelligence because knowing yourself and how you impact others will help you maintain strong relationships, build trust, improve communication and a range of other “soft skills”.

If we are valuing emotional intelligence in the workplace, but people aren’t willing to see or articulate their own patterns, people are going to put up walls. Your level of engagement and participation determines the success of this taking roots. 

Next Step: Take a look at the attached PDFs for more specific material on emotional intelligence.