As they do in every area of our lives, our emotions can influence the way we act and react in the workplace.

Emotional intelligence is about developing the skills to better understand both our own emotions as well as those around us, and effectively managing how we react to them so that we can be more productive in our work life.   The objective is not to suppress or ignore difficult emotions or feelings but rather learning to handle them intelligently when they arise.

Emotional Intelligence (or EI for short) is what makes the difference between top-performing leaders and the rest. Managers with strong EIs are measurably more successful in recruitment, employee retention, productivity, and customer service.

But EI is not just for Managers and Executives; it is critical for success at any level in your career.  If you want to rise to higher levels of responsibility in your job, having a strong EI is essential.