In our deep coverage of leadership, we often come back to the foundational principles of emotional intelligence. Technically the concept of emotional intelligence—or EQ for short—predates the very first issue of Fast Company, but only by five years. The term was coined by two psychology professors, John D. Mayer of UNH and Peter Salovey of Yale in a research paper published in 1990. In 2021, another group of researchers gave us the elevator pitch definition:

“The ability to carry out accurate reasoning about emotions, and the ability to use emotions and emotional knowledge to enhance thought.”

In other words, someone with strong EQ skills can identify, express, manage, and then respond to emotions in a balanced way.

Of course, knowing what it is is one thing. Actually honing EQ to become a better communicator, connector, and collaborator is where it gets tricky. There are three specific signs that show your EQ could stand to improve, and several ways that you could try easing into appearing like you’ve got it down—until you do.

Fortunately, there are simple tactics you can use daily to boost your EQ. For example, psychotherapist Farah Harris maintains that practicing self-awareness can make you more productive and is as easy as asking yourself: “How do I feel about doing this task?” which would help you achieve what you want more efficiently. EQ can also help you manage the most stressful situations without getting stuck in an anxiety loop.

You can then parlay these strategies to be a more emotionally intelligent leader who is not only more likable but also understands what makes teams run best so the entire workforce can thrive. And once you have these principles down pat, you can even hire future talent with an eye toward who has the strongest EQ.

In an era of layoffs, RTO debates, political upheaval, and general economic uncertainty, one thing is for sure: EQ can help you make stronger connections with others. That’s something we can always count on to be successful.