EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE IS THE ABILITY TO MANAGE EMOTIONS IN ORDER TO BE AS PRODUCTIVE AS POSSIBLE IN THE ACTIVITIES WE ARE PERFORMING
In 1990 Salovey and Mayer defined it as the learned ability to perceive, understand, express and manage emotions so that they work for us and not against us. Salovey and Mayer further stated that possessors of this ability would be able to:
- Recognize and be able to name their emotions;
- Produce emotions that facilitate thinking;
- Understand their own emotional changes;
- Know how to control both positive and negative emotions.
Emotional competence can be enhanced in different places of the subject’s life: home, school/work, sports environment. In the latter area, emotional intelligence is gaining more and more importance day by day.