I went to work today. It was kind of automatic. I didn’t think about it. I set my alarm and packed my lunch. As a result of these moves, I went to work and helped some people. Going to work was a smart decision.
Eating lunch, I checked a notification that popped up on my phone. I didn’t think about it. Next thing you know, I was scrolling through Facebook for 15 minutes. I could have used that time for more important things. Spending 15 minutes on Facebook was NOT a smart decision.
We make hundreds of decisions every day, big and small. What to eat, where to go, what to say …and what NOT to say.
- Am I really going to “show up” when I get to work?
- Did I ever really “leave” work, when I got home?
These moves aren’t always easy calls. You don’t always have time to make an intentional, conscious decision. As a parent and partner, your decisions impact the people who you love.
So when you have a hard decision to make, you slow down to look at all the facts and consider the impact.
Smart decisions require more than IQ. People with higher Emotional Intelligence (EQ) tend to make decisions with more humanity and empathy. Emotionally Intelligent fathers:
- recognize emotions in ourselves and others
- learn how to deal with unpleasant feelings
- account for human factors in your decision-making
What is Emotional Intelligence?
Emotional intelligence is different from book smarts or IQ. Your EQ reflects how well you understand what others are doing and thinking and feeling.
EQ helps in making decisions in all spheres of your life. In your social world and at work, the value of connections and relationships are rising faster than knowledge or status.
Following the Industrial Age and the Knowledge Age, The Connection Economy predicts that your future wealth will depend on your connections to other people, placing a higher value on your EQ.
I am convening a weekly meeting for Emotionally Intelligent Fathers starting in January. If you want to get on board during the free beta test of this group, sign up here.
photo credit: iStockPhoto
P.S. The best decision I ever made was marrying Betsy, the Love of my Life. We have raised two kick-ass kids together and seen each other through MAJOR ups and downs. She is the person I look forward to spending the rest of my life waking up next to.
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