What Your Personality Says About Your EQ Strengths

People often believe the myth that certain personality styles are naturally fit for higher emotional intelligence. When you think of a highly emotionally intelligent person, what comes to mind? You might imagine someone warm, empathetic, and a good listener. While these are part of EQ, there's more to the story.

In my experience coaching and training leaders every day, I've learned that every behavioral style out there has certain EQ strengths. Whether you're extroverted, introverted, high energy, low energy, assertive, or passive, we all have natural tendencies that show up in our ability to understand ourselves and others and move forward. Here, I'll share a few observations.

First, it's helpful to understand which behavioral style most resonates with you. While this is not an exhaustive analysis of all the different variations of personality styles, it's a solid framework to start with.

Dominant: Direct, decisive, outspoken, result-driven, loves to get things done.

Dynamic: Stimulating, inspiring, creative, interactive, high energy, loves to have fun.

Deliberate: Thorough, organized, analytical, planner, loves to do it right.

Diplomatic: Supportive, consensus-builder, warm, accepting, loves to do it together.

If you connect mostly with the Dominant style, you likely are great with setting and enforcing boundaries with others. You demonstrate courage to speak up for yourself and others. Because of this, people tend to trust and follow you. You're self-assured in sharing your opinions and rights and projecting confidence in your ideas and those of others. Your superpower is your ability to provide people a level of certainty and confidence to take action. 

If the Dynamic style spoke to you, you're likely to demonstrate charisma and have a natural ability to draw people to you. You can easily share your thoughts and emotions with others and make it easy for others to do the same. People tend to trust and follow you because of your enthusiasm, compassion, and genuine desire to connect with them. Your superpower is your ability to make people feel alive, understood, and accepted. 

If you exhibit more of a Deliberate style, you're thoughtful in the way you make decisions and approach life. You are constantly weighing pros and cons and analyzing situations. People tend to trust and follow you because of your credibility and high standards. People know they can rely on you. Your superpower is your ability to make people feel safe with your word and how things will work out. 

If you resonate mostly with the Diplomatic style, you probably like to take time to reflect before making an important decision. You're open to other people's ideas and opinions and encourage collaboration. Because of your ability to easily empathize with others, people tend to trust and follow you. Your superpower is your ability to make people feel respected and emotionally safe with you.

Understanding your strengths is a great place to start. I share these strengths to emphasize that we all have natural tendencies and the ability to nurture these traits to turn them into true strengths. Next, spend time assessing where you'd like to stretch yourself.

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What did you learn about yourself? What questions came up? Comment with your thoughts.

As always, wishing you an abundance of joy and success.

Sonia