THINK
Emotional intelligence might be a term that you were not familiar with before reading this chapter. What did you find to be the most interesting information in this chapter? Make a note of any information that was hard to understand or apply to your own life. What kinds of questions do you still have for your instructor?
WRITE
Write a description of yourself as a successful person ten years after you complete your current certificate or degree program. What kinds of skills will you have? What do you think you will have done to develop those skills? Don’t just focus on your degree or a job description; include the competencies that help explain why you will be successful.
APPLY
Working with one or two other students, agree to watch at least one show or a movie during the coming week. All group members should watch the same show or movie. Take brief notes on how the fictional or nonfictional characters handle their emotions, especially in stressful situations. How many of the emotional intelligence competencies were represented—either positively or negatively—in the show or the movie you watched?
No one has the same mindset in all situations. You may be willing to challenge yourself on the playing field but not in the classroom. In what areas are you the most “fixed” in your self-assessment, and where do you welcome opportunities for challenge and growth?
Your emotional reactions, whether positive or negative, affect your interactions with other people. Pretend that you are your own therapist. In what kinds of situations have you reacted with defensiveness, anger, sadness, annoyance, resentment, or humiliation? Take a step back and “process” these reactions. Think about what you said or did in response to your feelings, and why. Then talk with a trusted friend or classmate about how you reacted and whether you could have chosen to act differently. What can you do to take control and make good choices the next time you are faced with a potentially volatile situation?