Steve Jobs Trillion Dollar Thought Process

Intuition is generally referred to as an instinctive gut feeling and intuitiveness is viewed by many as a necessary business trait. However, few people are actually able to harness it, says Sue Hawkes, author of

How Can You Build Up Your Emotional Muscle?

Fortunately, there are many different ways you can develop your emotional intelligence. While your IQ may not change appreciably over your lifetime, you can practice the following skills to enhance your emotional intelligence:

• Before passing judgment, try to put yourself in others' shoes. Thinking about another person's perspective can help you develop your empathy.
• Learn to control your emotions. There will always be times when you have to deal with difficult people, so practice putting yourself in their shoes and coming up with a way to relate to them.
• Learn when it's the time and place to express your emotions. Oftentimes there will be difficult things that need to be said, so learn how to express your negative emotions appropriately and diplomatically.
• Manage your stress effectively. There will be times when stress needs to be managed more acutely, so know when it's time to say no to a new project or stay home for the weekend and relax.
• Reduce your negative emotions. When you are fearful of rejection, try to reassure yourself by coming up with alternatives in case your fears are realized.
• Ask others how they are feeling. Getting into the habit of checking up on other people and helping where you can is an important part of building relationships.