Being an emotional person is nothing to be ashamed of, especially when it comes to the workplace.

To be honest, there’s such a stigma surrounding emotional people—they’re seen as weak, flighty, or not dependable, when in fact, it’s the exact opposite. People with high emotional intelligence are often the most successful because they know how to balance their feelings with rational thought, and are able to lead their coworkers, companies, businesses, ideas, etc. with a perfect combination of passion and smarts.

If you’re an emotional person, here are six reasons to be proud of this, and move forward in your career with confidence.

1. People with high emotional intelligence are empathetic.

Empathy is a trait that is often hard to come by, or brushed off in the workplace. However, being an empathetic person means you are willing to listen, to care, and to be invested in others. And whether you’re a business owner or a dedicated employee, those traits are invaluable.

Knowing how to meet people where they are, to understand perspectives outside of your own, and to connect with others who are different will help you to not only reduce conflict, but help create paths and plans that honor and respect others, ultimately leading to success.

2. Emotionally intelligent people are led by both passion and reason.

The most successful people are passionate. This is given. But to be led solely by passion is not always enough—you must also have reason. You must be able to take an idea and make sense of it in a tangible, realistic way. You must be able to think logically about a situation and create a solution that makes sense, and moves your passions in the proper direction.

3. People with high emotional intelligence are rational without being cold or removed.

Sometimes people who are rational have a hard time understanding different perspectives or sharing sympathy with others in a moment of need. Whether you’re a business owner or a professional, having the ability to see other sides without being removed or judgmental can make or break your success and camaraderie with others.

When you can be rational, yet speak and act with kindness, you show the people you work with or for that you can be trusted.

4. Emotionally intelligent people can assess two sides of the spectrum simultaneously.

When it comes to decision-making, an attribute of successful people is their ability to not only see different sides of an equation, but be able to come to a compromise that benefits all parties (whether they are directly involved or not).

Emotionally intelligent people are able to distance themselves from a conflict to remove bias, as well as see and consider multiple perspectives in any given moment, creating an environment of acceptance and tolerance.

5. They have a handle on their emotions.

People who are emotionally intelligent are able to react with patience and poise. Instead of lashing out or reacting in anger or frustration when something goes wrong, they can take deep breaths, redirect, and respond accordingly.

6. They make great leaders.

Emotionally intelligent people make excellent leaders because they are the voice of reason and heart. Not only do they think, speak, and act logically, but they care about what they’re doing and who they’re working with, thus a perfect mix of emotions, too. This combination gives them the ability to lead others with ease.

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