Interested in learning essential skills for career success and to identify you important talents and see how you can apply them? A Meetup group is organising a workshop at the insightful, interactive EQ Cafe Doha to teach these essential skills.
“EQ Conversation Café: State of the Heart 2016” at the University of Calgary will impart training on a basic working definition of EQ — why does Emotional Quotient (EQ) matter in the world today and the relationship of EQ to successful outcomes. The session will be hosted by the network leader in Doha, Marilyn Harris. 
The workshop will cover various aspects, such as the impact of EQ on various careers, what talents are needed to strengthen your own or your team’s or the organisation’s relationships, effectiveness, quality of life and well-being; and what talents are useful to create an optimistic future. 
The free workshop is suitable for anyone interested in practising emotional intelligence for themselves, at work, home, school or as a coach, trainer and educator.
“What’s the current state of emotional intelligence in the world? Tracking global EQ trends since 2011, the State of the Heart report reveals insights about global trends in emotional intelligence, including EQ and performance, and EQ at school and home,” says the network.
The report was conceptualised and organised by Six Seconds, The Emotional Intelligence Network, a community of change makers working toward one billion people practising the skills of emotional intelligence. 
Volunteer Network Leaders around the world organise free EQ Cafes and other programmes to build local communities of people practising emotional intelligence together.
“In simple terms, emotional intelligence just means being smarter with feelings. It is about putting together the rational and emotional so you can move forward effectively,” says the organiser.
Emotions are part of human biology, they are chemicals that help regulate our minds and bodies, assisting us to cope with complexities of making decisions, interacting with people, and finding our way through life. We feel emotions to help us pay attention, and to focus our attention. While sometimes they’re confusing, emotions are part of us, so we might as well learn to use them well, says the network.
“Doing it consistently is a challenge and raises the question as to what skills can I practice so that I can do this process more effectively? Through our research and experience, we developed a set of eight specific, learnable skills that make the process work,” the network says.
“First, remember it is a cycle. We might not have the perfect awareness or identify the exact right choice, but as we go around and around this process, it gets easier,” it adds.
The best way to do it is to “know yourself.” Everyone has feelings, all the time. What are yours? Not just the obvious ones, but the ones hiding in the background?
“Remember that emotions are data. They’re chemical signals to help us handle threats and opportunities. Then choose yourself. When a situation just starts to heat up, press the pause button. Take a big breathe. Get some water. Say, ‘Let me think about this for a moment.’ There are very few situations that actually require an instant reaction,” says the Six Seconds.
In the process of learning EQ, one has to give into themselves. There is always more to the story. When people do or say something annoying you have to get curious and ask what is really going on here.
“The choices you make matter. The way you respond affects others, and affects you, so you affect the future. What’s the effect you want to have?” it adds.
Six Seconds say their mission is to support people to create positive change, everywhere, all the time. They do this by researching and sharing current science about emotions and the brain through a practical, transformational methodology.
The network says: “Through 20 years of global experience and extensive research, we’ve shown that the scientifically-based skills of emotional intelligence (EQ) are essential for change. These skills are learnable, and predict stronger effectiveness, well-being, relationships, and quality of life.”
Donations from the workshop will go to the network.