UPSC Ethics Notes: Emotional Intelligence

UPSC Ethics Notes: Emotional Intelligence
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Emotional Intelligence is one of the favourite areas of UPSC and there are often questions on this topic in the General Studies Paper IV that is Ethics paper. I generally made notes of the keywords and looked up the keywords on Google to clearly understand them. You can do the same. I will reproduce my UPSC Ethics notes below:

What is Emotional Intelligence?

Emotional Intelligence (EI) is the ability of a person to identify, understand and manage the emotions of oneself and that of others.

Intrapersonal EI (One’s own Emotions)

  • Self Awareness
    • Identification of one’s own emotions
    • Accurate self assessment
    • self-confidence
    • self-regard (knowing strength and weakness of oneself)
  • Self management
    • Impulse control
    • Self control
    • Conscientiousness (guided by conscience)
    • Adaptability
    • Goal-orientation
    • Level-headedness

Interpersonal EI (Other’s Emotions)

  • Social Awareness
    • Recognizing others’ emotions
    • Emotions of the society at large
    • Organisational awareness
    • Service orientation
    • Empathy for others
  • Social Skills
    • Teamwork/ Leadership
    • Conflict management
    • Problem solving skills
    • Communication skills
    • Change catalyst
    • Personnel management
    • Influencing others
    • Developing others and getting the best out of them

Importance of Emotional Intelligence

  • Recognizing and managing one’s emotions to stay balanced
  • Self-control and adaptability to changing work or social environment
  • Correct and honest assessment of one’s own strength and weakness, thus maximize potential
  • Managing a teamwork, inter-staff conflict resolution.
  • self-motivation
  • optimism and empathy helps to connect with others

Advantages 

  • Self Actualization (realizing one’s true potential)
  • Improved social relationships
  • reduces stress levels at home or at work
  • Confidence and positive feeling
  • gain respect and trust of others
  • creativity and problem solving skills

Emotional Intelligence in Administration

  • High Self Regard: Capitalize on strength and work on weaknesses
  • Manage Change Effectively: Due to flexibility, convincing skills, consensus building and stress management
  • Model the way: Assertive and independent, walks the talk, good listener but takes his own judgement
  • Remains composed under pressure
  • Encourages the Team: Keeps all motivated, avoids intra and inter-group conflicts, rewards in recognition of contributions

I hope this note on Emotional Intelligence helps you write better Ethics answers. Please share this article with others who cannot avail coaching.

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