How aware are you of the emotions of the people around you?
“Awareness of others” is the skill of perceiving the way others feel. Emotions show up in others’ facial expressions, body language, and tones of voice. If we pay more attention, we become more attuned with how people are feeling.
This skill is about empathy. Empathy for others in what they are going through. It is also about adaptability in how we interact with others. This skill is critical to your relationships, particularly if you are a leader. If you don’t know what your people are thinking or feelings, how can you tend to their needs? We perform best at work when we feel valued, when we are consulted, and when we feel we have been heard and understood. Conversely, we perform at our worse when we feel anxious, tired, or worried.
How do you develop an awareness of others? By stopping and reflecting on the emotions you see. By being a mindful listener. Get to know the makeup of the people on your team, their values, thoughts, beliefs, and personalities. If you do that, we can better predict how they might feel about a situation and likely to react.
Carefully consider the words you use. They portray our understanding of the way others feel. Empathy is not only about what we say but what we do. So think about the actions you take in conjunction with your words. Developing an awareness of others is another step on your journey to becoming an emotionally intelligent individual.
