Cognitive Skills for VA's: Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence is a critical skill for a virtual assistant in managing the various interpersonal relationships they make as well as managing their own emotional awareness. A recent article found on Indeed discusses emotional intelligence and how to improve your skills in this area. It characterises emotional intelligence as “the ability to manage and identify your emotions, expressing them in respectful and helpful ways. In the workplace, this aids in responding with supportive feedback and may help you understand your coworkers better” (Indeed, 2021, Key takeaways section, para.1). Further, the characteristics of emotional intelligence include self awareness, the ability to manage your emotional responses, empathy for others, and ability to maintain healthy relationships (Indeed, 2021, Characteristics of emotional intelligence section, para. 1-4).

The nine tips for improving emotional intelligence are:

1. Be more self-aware. Being aware of your emotions and emotional responses to those around you can greatly improve your emotional intelligence. Knowing when you’re feeling anxious or angry can help you process and communicate those feelings in a way that promotes healthy results.

2. Recognise how others feel. Emotional intelligence may start with self-reflection, but it’s also important to gauge other perceive your behaviour and communication, Knowing how to adjust your own message based on how you’re being received is an important part of being emotionally intelligent.

3. Practice active listening. People communicate via both verbal and nonverbal communication, so it’s important to listen and watch for potentially positive and negative reactions, Taking the time to listen to others also indicates a level of respect that can form the foundation for healthy relationships.

4. Communicate clearly. Strong communication skills are essential for emotional intelligence. Knowing what to say or write and when to deliver information is crucial for building strong relationships. For example, as a manager in a work environment, communicating expectations and goals is necessary to keep everyone on the same page.

5. Stay Positive. Nothing is more contagious than a positive attitude. Emotionally intelligent people understand the power of a positive word, an encouraging email and a kind gesture. When you’re able to also stay positive in a stressful situation, you can help other around you remain calm. This attitude also can encourage further problem-solving and teamwork.

6. Empathise. Considering how others might be feeling is an important quality of emotional intelligence. It means you can empathise with feelings that you may not be feeling yourself ad respond in a way that’s respectful and comforting to others.

7. Be open-minded. Emotionally intelligent people are easy to approach because they’re good listeners and able to consider and understand other perspectives. They’re also open to learning new things and embracing new ideas.

8. Listen to feedback. It’s important to be the kind person who can hear feedback, whether it’s positive feedback on a recent presentation or more critical recommendations on how you should delegate tasks more efficiently. Being open to feedback means you can take responsibility for your actions and are willing to improve how you communicate with others.

9. Stay calm under pressure. It’s important to be able to approach stressful situations with a calm and positive attitude. Tensions can easily escalate, especially when people are working under deadlines, so keeping steady and focusing on finding a solution will help everyone meet their goals. (Indeed, 2021, 9 ways to improve emotional intelligence section, para. 1-9).

An aspiring virtual assistant can improve their emotional intelligence skills by following the above steps outlined and master this skill. In my own experience, I practice emotional intelligence by focusing on Mindfulness and following the steps outlined above to master this skill.