Coloring Outside the Lines: A Grown-Up’s Creative Guide to Increasing Emotional Intelligence

In 1995 Daniel Goleman popularized the term Emotional Intelligence (or EQ) with his seminal book titled “Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ.” Since then the business world has understood that EQ – a person’s ability to manage feelings and communicate with others – is said to be a greater predictor of success in life and work than IQ. It’s no wonder companies around the world are bringing in coaches and facilitators to develop greater emotional intelligence skills in their leaders. Executive Coach and self-proclaimed neuroscience geek Sandi Mitchell developed this emotional intelligence journal and coloring book to help people enhance their coach centric leadership skills by exploring their emotional intelligence. This journal taps into the world of neuroscience and enables you to utilize both the right and left sides of your brain to reflect on EQ skills through the tools of questions and coloring. This meshing of both sides of your brain gives richer reflection and deeper understanding of how you can implement these EQ skills today. The EQ-i 2.0®, published by MHS, Inc.©2011, uses 15 emotional intelligence skills which are based on the original BarOn Model authored by Reuven Bar-On, 1997. These 15 skills are Self-Regard, Self-Actualization, Emotional Self-Awareness, Emotional Expression, Assertiveness, Independence, Interpersonal Relationships, Empathy, Social Responsibility, Problem Solving, Reality Testing, Impulse Control, Flexibility, Stress Tolerance, and Optimism. In this journal, we will explore how you have used the skills in the past and how you can be more intentional with them in the future. There is something about coloring that puts you at ease and helps you focus. Coloring combined with the questions provides you the opportunity to reflect on how you can enhance your usage of an aspect of an emotional intelligence skill into your day. Relax, reflect, and enjoy!