BBI’s Hurt-to-Heart zoom conference guest speaker, Winnie Ajema, Life Mentorship skills coach and Mental Health expert, has demystified Emotional Intelligence.

She told participants that Emotional Intelligence (EI), is how best we understand our own emotions and feelings to help us manage ourselves and others in our various spaces -at home, in the office and community.

“People do not know how to manage and react to their emotions…they helplessly say “this is who I am!” Ajema explained.

The conference was held on September 21 2022 drawing in 42 participants from both corporate world  and the ministry

Emotional Intelligence

She said a key area in Emotional Intelligence is self-awareness.

“When you are aware you are able to act accordingly and to impact your space positively for your own benefit and for others, ” she explained.

Emotional Intelligence is a social skill

She said Emotional Intelligence (EI) is a social skill that helps us know how to interact.

Ajema said there are people whose emotions can affect the workplace, social circles and family. She said emotions sometimes get the best of people.

For some people they are unable to work because of emotions.  “Do not allow emotions to get the best of you, ” she said and explained that psychologically the motivation or trigger of the emotion lies within and that it is not an external factor.

Tough times

She said Emotional Intelligence can give you “strength to keep going in tough times.”

Ajema said understanding others as well as self, is key in acquiring EI.

Self regulation , she said, helps in avoiding the consequences of an emotional outburst. The unpleasantness of a slap, a fight or bitter argument is lack of Emotional Intelligence (EI), the participants heard.

“We must regulate our emotions,” the speaker said adding that through Emotional Intelligence negative emotion can be turned to positive and work for us instead.

Ajema challenged the participants to discover their run-to emotion when confronted by issues and weigh it against whether it impacts both the person and the others positively.