3 Myths You Need to UNLEARN About Emotional Intelligence (If You Want to Grow)

Feeling overwhelmed by the demands of work and life?

Emotional intelligence isn’t about suppressing your feelings; it’s about mastering them to find your confidence and build resilience.

This week on The Culture Crush Podcast, we debunk three common myths about emotional intelligence with Tahira Jamani , a Google certified expert in emotional intelligence and mindfulness. Tahira shares practical strategies and real-world examples to help you navigate your emotions with more confidence and resilience.

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Questions to Reflect On While Listening

• Think about how emotions show up in your body. How does anger feel? How does fear feel? What’s your body telling you about this conversation? This connects to Tahira’s discussion of body mapping emotions and how physical sensations reflect inner emotional states. [10:35]
• Are there emotions that you fail to express sometimes? Do you think that’s a good or a bad thing? Reflect on this as Tahira discusses the importance of emotional expression and the societal conditioning that often leads to suppression. [03:40]
• Are there emotions that you were told to stop or mask when you were growing up? This ties back to Tahira’s discussion of how childhood experiences can impact adult emotional responses and the importance of re-evaluating those patterns. [02:17]

Episode Highlights

Myth #1: Ignoring your emotions is key to emotional intelligence. [08:08]

Emotional intelligence isn’t about ignoring feelings; it’s about understanding and managing them. Tahira uses the example of a client who suppressed her frustration at work, resulting in a negative outburst at home. This highlights the importance of self-awareness and emotional regulation.

Myth #2: Emotional intelligence makes you soft. [17:14]

The opposite is true! Embracing emotions builds courage and confidence. Tahira shares a client story of a first-time manager who initially felt anxious about difficult conversations. By learning to confront discomfort, he improved his leadership skills and relationships.

Myth #3: “I don’t need emotional intelligence; others do.” [39:37]

Emotional intelligence is about personal responsibility and control over your reactions. Tahira describes how a client’s focus on self-improvement, rather than blaming external factors, helped him gain confidence and control during a stressful job interview.

Practical Techniques and Takeaways:

Tahira introduces practical tools for emotional regulation including body mapping emotions [10:35], micro-practices such as grounding exercises [29:33], and the “name it to tame it” approach [30:29]. The episode also explores the power of positive self-affirmations such as “I am not afraid to fail” [37:17].

Downloads

• 3 Myths Presentation and Frameworks PDF

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Chapters

00:00 Welcome to Culture Crush

01:03 Reflective Questions on Emotional Responses

08:08 Myth #1: Ignoring Your Emotions

17:14 Myth #2: Emotional Intelligence Makes You Soft

39:37 Myth #3: “I Don’t Need It, But Others Do”

25:49 Practical Techniques for Emotional Regulation

53:53 Letting Go vs. Ignoring Emotions