EQ and others

Some people pay attention to others as a habit – it is just part of being aware of your surroundings, including other people.

• Do you acknowledge people you know from your local shops?
• Would you help someone with a pusher on the tram?
• Would you stop a toddler from leaving the shop without their parent as you go in?

Not everyone does these things. If you interact with people around you, you're showing some level of EQ and concern for others.

Some days are better than others for EQ. Some days, we are more self-absorbed than others. But most of us would like to think of ourselves as compassionate.

Goleman talks about a “spectrum that goes from complete self-absorption to noticing to empathy and to having compassion." If we are more mindful and less self-focused we will develop more compassion -- a major element of EQ.

In the next section, the focus is less about you and more about how you interact with others.