Build Your Soft Skills with Emotional Intelligence
Emotional Intelligence
by Tyrone Dixon
While working with a client on improving their Soft Skills in the 
work environment it became apparent to me that these skills in particular could be of value to many others in our community. I am sharing in hopes that this will inspire better outcomes for the future. This list includes seven skills that will increase your overall well-being if practiced on a daily basis.
1. Learning to behave in an age appropriate manner is important when we are in a work environment. There is nothing wrong with us having our own system, values, sense of humor, etc. in place while you work; the problem comes in when our way of doing things overlaps with the way your company wants you to do things. I would never tell anyone not to honor that which makes them unique, but I would invite you to be mindful of how people are receiving your uniqueness while at work.
2. Work to develop genuine empathy for humanity. We live in a day and age where it takes a major event like Donald Trump saying something extremely offensive or a catastrophe like Hurricane Irma for us as human beings to show compassion towards one another. What if we were proactive with expressing compassion to our fellow humans? How much would our relationships improve? How much would our communication across cultures improve?
3. Know the game before you play it. It does not matter what field you are in, thinking about getting into, interested in, etc. I invite you to study and reach out to people who have had success in the venture in which you plan on getting involved in; most of the time there is someone out there willing to help point you in the right direction.
4. Persistence, Patience, Hope, and Resiliency. The combination of all four of them skills is what I call “bounce back ability.” We must be persistent in pursuing our goals at all times; Patient in pursuing our goals because there will come a time where adversity will test our resolve. Hopeful that no matter what happens we are going to reach our goals because we’ve put in all of the work to be successful. Resiliency in knowing that we can use logic to make sense of what may appear irrational in the moment. Being out of sync with one or more of the “bounce back abilities” can cause you to have trouble in the other areas in which you are strong.
5. Knowledge of how money works. Up until a few years ago I thought I knew how money worked. You make money, you pay bills, invest a little, place the rest into a bank/savings account, right? If you agreed with me we were both wrong. I would invite you to attend 2 or 3 financial literacy workshops to get an understanding of what you can make money do for you, and not the other way around.
6. Enhancement of Cognitive Skills. Always look to improve on our learning, remembering, problem solving, and attention paying skills.
7. Support systems. You can have all of the previous 6 skills in place, if you are lacking a Support System that is positive, reassures you of your purpose, holds you accountable, is caring and loving chances are you will not see the value in what you do.
Peace and Love,
Tyrone Dixon works as a Certified Professional Coach in the Syracuse Community through his business ArozeThrough Concrete Coaching. He was born and raised on the South and West Sides of Syracuse. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from SUNY Buffalo. It is his pleasure to be a “writing contributor” for CNY Latino, and write about the topic of Emotional Intelligence (EI). He loves the City of Syracuse and believes that exposure to Emotional Intelligence can help change the direction of the individuals living in some of our “high poverty” areas. Can you imagine how much better our city would be if people were taught how to manage their feelings without hurting someone? Or if we could teach people to be proactive in identifying situations they are not comfortable in?.