Using communication to enhance emotional intelligence

Today, many psychologists emphasize the importance of developing emotional intelligence as an essential part of one’s personality. In addition to general intelligence, people need the ability to recognize both their own emotions and those of others, manage these emotions, and use them to benefit themselves and those around them.

Emotional intelligence can only be improved through practice, which means engaging in conversations with different people—family members, friends, acquaintances, colleagues, and even strangers during travel. Only through verbal communication can a person learn to read others’ emotions and build relationships accordingly.

How to develop emotional intelligence through communication

To enhance emotional intelligence while interacting with people, consider the following:

• Try to understand a person’s mood through nonverbal cues such as eye contact, facial expressions, gestures, and posture. These signs can reveal the speaker’s emotional state and willingness to engage in conversation.
• Show interest in your conversation partner’s thoughts and feelings. Expressing genuine concern encourages trust and deepens connections, as people appreciate attention directed toward them.
• Pay attention to your own emotions during conversations. Ask yourself how you feel while talking to someone—do you feel at ease, or do you experience tension? If something bothers you, identify the cause—was it passive or active verbal aggression, a condescending tone, or the person’s attitude toward certain life topics?

These simple techniques will help you become better at recognizing both your own emotions and those of others, enabling you to build more constructive dialogues and make informed decisions about future interactions.

Consequences of lacking emotional intelligence in communication

A low level of emotional intelligence can lead to several challenges, including:

• Difficulty achieving mutual understanding in conversations
• Problems forming close relationships, especially when a partner struggles to open up or express their needs
• Workplace challenges, particularly when handling customer concerns or resolving conflicts with colleagues

Even if a person is highly educated and professionally competent, they are unlikely to succeed if they cannot manage stress, process emotions effectively, and understand the feelings of those around them.

Exercises to develop emotional intelligence

Psychologists recommend the following exercises to strengthen emotional intelligence on a daily basis:

• Look at photos of people online and try to determine their emotions based on facial expressions—joy, sadness, boredom, suppressed anger, and so on.
• Analyze nonverbal mood indicators in those around you. Observe whether a person maintains eye contact, whether their posture is open or closed, and how their voice tone and volume shift during conversations.
• Reflect on your own mood changes. Try phrasing your emotions in statements such as, “I got angry because…” or “This event made me happy because…”.
• Find healthy ways to process emotions. For example, if you are feeling angry, you might channel your frustration into a constructive activity like cleaning or exercising. If you are feeling sad, you could write a poem or take a relaxing walk in the park—physical activity promotes the release of endorphins, which boost mood.

Can emotional intelligence be developed through text communication?

Although it may seem difficult, it is possible to read people’s emotions and moods even in written conversations. Of course, interpretation depends on context, but certain indicators can provide insight into a person’s state of mind. The way someone structures their messages, their use of punctuation, and the presence of exclamation marks or emojis can indicate whether they are calm, excited, eager to chat, or in need of solitude.

You can also shape the tone of your own messages. If you are genuinely interested in a conversation and in maintaining a connection, you can start messages with a warm greeting and address the person by name. If someone is emotionally unavailable for a conversation, they will likely communicate this, which is another sign of emotional intelligence and self-awareness.

Finding pen pals and developing emotional intelligence through online communication is possible on wedaf.com. The more frequently you engage in conversations with different people, the better you will refine your emotional intelligence, becoming a more empathetic and understanding conversation partner.