Different kinds of intelligence are required to succeed in the trades. You need a good mechanical aptitude, of course. You need to be good at math and able to read well enough to understand manuals and other work-related documents.
One other type of intelligence is needed to lead you to a successful career in the trades, or in any other field for that matter. Call it emotional intelligence. If you have a high emotional I.Q., you will more readily be able to influence the people around you to see things your way.
No standard definition exists for emotional intelligence, but most people would agree that it’s the ability to control your own emotions and understand the feelings of others. Another word for this is empathy. The best way to define empathy is with the old expression, “walk a mile in someone else’s shoes.” Try to see things from another person’s perspective.
Maybe the best way to describe emotional intelligence is to offer some examples of the opposite. We’ve all heard of road rage incidents, where a driver flies off the handle when someone cuts him off or does something else that triggers an extreme reaction, even violence. In the workplace, a lack of emotional intelligence can lead to loud arguments with a boss or co-worker, or even quitting a job in anger. “Take this job and shove it” has a triumphant sound to it for a few minutes but usually leads to regret a little later.
Plain and simple, it pays to learn how to control your emotions. Everyone in every job will at times grow frustrated and angry at fellow workers. Everyone will have one of those days when everything seems to go wrong. Emotional intelligence puts these episodes into a proper perspective.
Accept that some days will be just “one of those days” and do what you can to make tomorrow better. Try to understand why a person who acted in a way that annoyed you did what he or she did. Maybe the person wanted to do the right thing but didn’t know how. Emotional intelligence includes the ability to forgive mistakes, because we all make them. Even if somebody does something intentionally to hurt you, you cannot control that person’s behavior. But you can control how you respond. You can make matters worse by doubling down on anger and resentment, or you can try to reach understanding with the other party.
Some folks are natural born “people persons” with highly developed social skills. Others are uncomfortable with social interactions and don’t necessarily enjoy meeting and mingling with people they don’t know very well. If you are one of the latter, you don’t need to change your personality. What you do need to do is focus on positive interactions with the people around you. Sometimes it’s just a matter of greeting people with friendly expressions like “good morning … how are you doing … good to see you again.” Congratulate them if they’ve won an award or realized a personal milestone like the birth of a child. Express sympathy if they’ve suffered a loss.
Little things like that require little effort yet help shore up your emotional I.Q. and over time can result in big payoffs. The best jobs and recognition do not always go to the most competent person. Sometimes the rewards are reaped by people who are just average in their work but make other people like to be around them.