✨ Activity: Emotional Intelligence

EQ in Action: Adaptability, Optimism, and Career Success

Why Emotional Intelligence (EQ) Matters

Research consistently shows that Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is a stronger predictor of success than IQ.

EQ can profoundly impact your personal and professional life, which makes it worth developing. This module explores:

• Adaptability
• Positive Outlook (Optimism)
• Reflective Scenarios
• Practical Strategies

“When you are self-aware, you are far more likely to pursue the right opportunities, put your strengths to work, and—perhaps most importantly—keep your emotions from holding you back.”

— Bradbury & Greaves (2009)

Adaptability

Adaptability means accepting change, adjusting strategies, and thriving in uncertainty.

Employers value adaptability for its impact on collaboration and teamwork, innovation, productivity, and client experience.

• “Adaptable people….accept change, hone strategies for dealing with the unknown, and shift their behavior to accommodate new situations and challenges. For leaders, adaptability means responding effectively to changing events in the organizational environment” (Calarco & Gurvis, 2006, p. 3).
• “Adaptability ….refers to the capacity to respond effectively to new information about oneself and/or one’s situation and to demonstrate the ability to effectively integrate new information into one’s career behavior” (Niles & Harris-Bowlsbey, 2009, as cited by Niles, Yoon, Balin, Amundson, 2010, p.102).
• “Adaptability involves reformulating your goals and/or strategies to adapt to new work and career realities” (Seibert, Kraimer, Heslin, 2016, p. 245). 

Being adaptable demonstrates that you're open to change and ready to pivot when necessary.

Positive Outlook (Optimism)

Optimism is a mindset that influences success as much as skill or effort.

Optimists are more likely to view challenges as temporary and solvable, whereas pessimists tend to internalize setbacks as personal and lasting.

“Optimism isn’t naive. It’s a belief that the future is bright, even in darkness.” (Sinek, December 23, 2020)

We choose where to place our focus: on obstacles or opportunities. This choice affects how we manage careers, solve problems, and navigate uncertainty. During a career transition or setback, optimists are more likely to:

• Update job search tools, including cover letters, resumes, LinkedIn profiles, etc.
• Engage personal and professional networks
• Focus on positive outcomes
• Bring enthusiasm to interviews

An optimistic outlook keeps you open to new paths and gives you the energy to pursue them, sometimes even leading to unexpected opportunities.

Reflective Scenarios

Everyday we are presented with situations in which we can demonstrate EQ skills. Here are typical workday examples that present themselves as opportunities to put EQ in action. Consider how adaptable you might be when faced with change, or if you are inclined to respond with a positive outlook.

Download the Emotional Intelligence Worksheet (PDF)

In the following scenarios, notice your thoughts and feelings. What are your immediate reactions? There is no right or wrong way to respond. Write it down in the worksheet.

Next, for each scenario, click on the expanding text to see corresponding examples of strong adaptability and optimistic actions or thoughts. Consider writing down your own thoughts before clicking to see our examples.

We are typically most motivated to shift a behaviour when we are ready and open to embrace the work of change.

Consider weighting your adaptability scale from 1-10 (low to high).

• If you rated yourself on the lower end of the scale, how might you learn to become more adaptable?

Consider weighting your optimism scale from 1-10 (low to high)

• If you rated yourself on the lower end of the scale, how might you lean into optimism?

Ask yourself this question as authentically as possible:

• How willing are you to lean towards becoming more adaptable and/or be more optimistic?

Strategies

Strengthening Your EQ

To boost your Emotional Intelligence (EQ), start with emotional awareness.

“The only way to genuinely understand your emotions is to spend enough time thinking about them to figure out where they came from and why they are there. Emotions always serve a purpose.” — Bradbury & Greaves (2009, p. 25)

Key EQ strategies from Bradbury & Greaves:

• Visit Your Values:
  Revisit your core values and reflect on how they influence your emotional responses. For example, if you value growth, ask: Am I resisting change, or am I honoring my value?
• Know Yourself Under Stress:
  Pay attention to how your body and mind respond to stress. Stress often reveals our default mindset—are you reacting with optimism or pessimism?
• Sleep On It:
  Pause before reacting. Sleep helps regulate emotions and gain perspective.
• Accept That Change Is Constant:
  Change is inevitable. Anticipating it and preparing mentally can help you feel more in control.

Cultivating Optimism

To develop a more positive outlook, try these daily habits (Gielan, 2016):

• List three new things you’re grateful for.
• Send a short note of appreciation to someone.
• Write about the most meaningful moment of your day.

As Simon Sinek puts it:

“Optimism isn’t naive. It’s an undying belief that the future is bright.”

Simon Sinek explains some steps to become more optimistic. Video: How can you be more optimistic? (1:53)

Next, continue on to Summary: Emotional Intelligence