Bonus Episode
Leveling Up Your Emotional Intelligence
Welcome back! We are happy that you have tuned in to the Undeniable Level Up Podcast with your hosts, Jose Medina and Crystal Garcia. This bonus episode will help you level up your emotional intelligence. Understanding personalities and how they differ is paramount to increasing your emotional intelligence. Just like us, we know that you have experienced interactions where you were left feeling confused by the other individual’s reaction to you or maybe even the situation itself.
Prepare to be enlightened today! Emotional intelligence is key to leading successfully and even living successfully.
According to Travis Bradberry, “Emotional intelligence is your ability to recognize and understand emotions in yourself and others, and your ability to use this awareness to manage your behavior and relationships.”
Q: What are your thoughts on this description of emotional intelligence?
Though this description is accurate it’s missing the inclusion of how personality plays into this. Personality is the combination of characteristics or qualities that form an individual’s distinctive character. Part of being emotionally intelligent is understanding the individual’s response(s) in relationship to their personality.
Q: What are your thoughts on the importance of personality in being emotionally intelligent?
Well for starters there is a misconception that being emotionally intelligent is strictly about reading emotions and it’s not. An individual’s personality determines not only how but why they will respond in various ways. If you know and understand personality differences at the most basic level, you can increase your emotional intelligence immediately. This increase in your emotional intelligence allows you to confront interactions almost like you have received a full brief prior to that interaction.
Q: So what are the different personalities?
I am sure most people are aware that there are a multitude of personality tests and styles. However for the purposes of this podcast , we are going to utilize the easiest and most basic personality identification model DISC. Each letter of the DISC model signifies one of the four personality types.
D (Dominant) – Red
I (Influential) – Yellow
S (Steady) – Green
C (Conscientious) – Blue
So, we are going to break down each personality. As we do this, think about what personality you are. Think about the personalities of those you interact with.
We will start this off with what I refer to as a, “red.” The D or dominant personality trait. Famous people with this personality are Arnold Schwarzenegger and Oprah Winfrey
▪ Communication Method - Direct
▪ Emotional Intelligence – High (they are able to recognize and draw out potential in others)
▪ Value
o Achievement – achieve results and are competitive
o Action – take action quick
o Control – they will take charge
▪ Their Drive
o Desire to Win
o Doing Something Meaningful
o Goal Orientation
▪ Their Motivators
o Challenges – solving problems
o Implementations/Changes – Implementing new things, adapting to changes
▪ Challenges
o Aggressive – They can be aggressive
o Details – They do not like details, they see them as unnecessary
o Pushy – they can seem pushy because they do not give up and believe there is a way around anything
o Sensitivity – due to their value in action and achievement they can come off as being insensitive
o Type “A” – like to take credit and may come off as “know it alls”
Connecting with a red requires for you to:
▪ Allow them to make their own decisions
▪ Ask them if you want insight into their decisions, they will tell you
▪ Promote competition
▪ Recognize them in front of others
▪ Utilize BLUF (bottom line up front) when communicating with them “Meat & Potatoes”
The I or Influential personality is what we will refer to as a yellow. Famous people with this personality are Kevin Hart and Robin Williams.
▪ Communication Method – Passive (tends to avoid conflict)
▪ Emotional Intelligence – Low (they connect and build relationships easily)
▪ Value
o Attention – they are energized by people and love attention
o Connection – they like to connect to many people
o Image – they dress to be noticed and care about their image
▪ Their Drive
o Connecting with others
o Image
▪ Their Motivators
o Connection – they are moved by personal stories
o Fun & Happiness – they like things fun, when its not fun they get bored
o Social Recognition – they love social recognition
▪ Challenges
o Attention – they have a short attention span
o Avoidance – they avoid pain rather its physical or emotional
o Boredom – they bore easily and quickly
o Follow Through – if its boring or no longer interesting they will stop doing it
Connecting with a yellow requires for you to:
▪ Be enthusiastic when you communicate new things
▪ Follow-up with them
▪ Make things fun when possible
▪ Reward them
▪ Support them
▪ Tie changes to image
The S or Steady personality is what we will refer to as a green. Famous people with this personality are Nelson Mandela and Julia Roberts.
▪ Communication Method
o Passive (w/ passive aggressive tendencies)
o Calm (avoids conflict)
▪ Emotional Intelligence – Low (they require clear and concise information and guidance)
▪ Value
o Collaboration – they like working in groups
o Formal Roles – they like formal roles in activities
o Support – they like to both give and receive support
▪ Their Drive
o Desire to “help”
o Desire to make a difference
▪ Their Motivators
o Appreciation for “help”
o Given the opportunity to help make a difference
▪ Challenges
o Blame – they often blame other for their situation
o Change – they do not like change
o Collaboration – they are reluctant to share without total comfort
o Decision Making – they do not take sides (they like to make everyone happy)
o Emotional Intelligence – they often misread what is said or done
o Emotions – they respond and lead emotionally
o Focus – they can’t handle numerous tasks
o Motivators – they will not take responsibility for others motivators
o Time Management – they take their time with tasks; often unorganized
Connecting with a green requires for you to:
▪ Encourage them / to complete projects
▪ Help them explore ways to save energy, time, and money
▪ Question them to gain insight into what they need
▪ Show them appreciation for their contributions
▪ Show them the necessity for change
▪ When faced with decisions, ensure they understand the responsibility i...
