Top 8 Low EQ Signs That Can Hinder Your Success

Do you often lose your temper? Is it hard to control your feelings? Do you have trouble with relationships? These could be signs of low EQ. Low emotional quotient can affect your work and life. Let's learn 8 important signs now. Recognize them early and make changes!

What Is EQ? Is EQ Important? 

EQ, or Emotional Quotient, is like a score for your emotional intelligence. It reflects your capacity to understand and manage your own emotions, as well as comprehend the emotions of others. This is important because EQ helps shape how you act. EQ changes how you deal with situations, keep relationships going, and succeed in life.

EQ score matters a lot in your life, at your job, and with people you know. It affects how you understand and manage your feelings. Also, EQ affects how you get along with others. Here are some reasons why EQ is important:

• Good communication: People with good EQ know how to listen carefully. They understand others and can share their own ideas in a thoughtful way.
• Controlling feelings: It helps you stay calm. You can avoid reacting badly when things get stressful.
• Building relationships: Good EQ helps you have good relationships. This is true at work and in your personal life.
• Leading and working together: People with good EQ can lead and work with others well. This is because they understand how others feel and can encourage them.
• Making better choices: When you understand emotions, you can make decisions more fairly. You don't let your feelings control you too much.
• Success at work: Good EQ helps you change when things change. You can solve problems and do better in your job.

Find out now: What is high EQ? Top 9 signs of high EQ people

Signs That You Are A Low EQ Person

People with low EQ signs often have trouble controlling their feelings. They might get upset easily and have problems talking to others. 

Low EQ signs in adults can include miscommunication with co-workers or bosses. They can be involved in different heated debates and conflicts. Because of this, they are less likely to be trusted by colleagues, top-level people and subordinates. 

Low EQ signs in relationships can involve lots of friction. These individuals struggle to understand each other's feelings and express their own constructively. This often leads to misunderstandings, difficulty resolving conflicts, and a lack of deep emotional connection.

Here are some common signs and ways to know if someone has low EQ.

Difficulty controlling personal emotions 

People who show low EQ signs often find it hard to know and handle their own feelings. They can easily lose control.

Often, they don't really know why they feel bad. This makes them react without thinking, and sometimes they overreact. This can hurt their relationships and how they talk to people in their life.

Lacking the ability to empathize with others 

People with a low EQ often find it hard to change what they say and do to fit different situations and people. They might accidentally say things that are not kind or react at the wrong time. Instead of trying to understand, they easily blame others. They might think the other person is too sensitive or too strict.

This lack of feeling makes it hard for them to understand the emotions of people nearby. So, they react in ways that are not thoughtful. Over time, this can create space between them and others. It can also cause problems at work and in their life.

Negative reactions when receiving feedback 

People with low EQ signs often react badly when they get feedback. They might easily feel like they are being criticized. They might argue a lot or make excuses instead of listening. Instead of seeing feedback as a chance to get better, they see it as an attack. They tend to avoid it or get very upset.

Difficulty maintaining relationships 

A low EQ person often has problems keeping good friendships. A deep friendship needs understanding, sharing feelings, and really caring about each other. Yet, people who show low EQ signs find it hard to see and show these things. This leads to distance in close relationships.

Lacking effective listening and communication skills 

Often focusing on saying what they think instead of really listening to the other person is a sign of low EQ. They tend to guide the conversation in a way that helps them, even when asking questions or seeming to care. When others share, instead of feeling for them, they often compare it to what they have experienced. This makes the connection in talking weaker.

Avoiding responsibility and blaming others 

People who exhibit low EQ signs will have trouble taking responsibility for what they do. When they make mistakes, they tend to blame what happened or other people instead of looking at the problem fairly. If someone criticizes them, they not only argue back but also try to explain why it's not their fault. They feel like they are being forced and not understood.

Not recognizing self and others' emotions 

Low EQ people often are not very good at understanding their own feelings and other people's feelings. They tend to accidentally ignore how their words or actions affect others. This can easily make the other person feel hurt or upset. Because they don't realize this, they are often surprised when others react badly. People of low EQ signs might even feel uncomfortable or annoyed when others share their feelings. This makes it hard to have lasting relationships.

Frequently feeling stressed and anxious 

Low EQ signs often manifest in trouble controlling feelings. This leads to feeling stressed and worried for a long time. These people get easily upset by small things. What’s more, they overreact to pressure and find it hard to stay calm. This not only affects their mind but also makes them less productive at work. Also, it gets in the way of their personal and social relationships.

Do you feel confused and lost, not knowing what you like or are good at? Take the free DISC test now* 

What Are The Reasons For Low EQ? 

People with low EQ have trouble controlling their feelings. They don't react well to situations and easily cause problems in relationships. These things happen because of the following reasons:

Genetic and environmental factors 

Some people are born to have fragile feelings. Because of this, they tend to focus on their feelings instead of others' and find it hard to communicate. Their genes also contribute to how their brain reacts to feelings in different cases.

Besides genes, where someone lives is also linked to their EQ. If they are raised without emotional support, they won't be good at controlling emotions. Plus, a stressful or negative background for a long time can make it harder for them to get along with others. 

Lack of early education on emotional management

The way we teach people now mostly focuses on thinking logically, which is IQ. It doesn't focus as much on emotional intelligence, which is EQ. Because there aren't many classes about EQ, many people don't get a chance to learn these skills. That affects their controlling feelings, understanding themselves, and building relationships.

The impact of stress and life pressure 

Besides 7 signs of low emotional intelligence above, life pressure can affect your emotional responses. Stressful things that happen, like losing someone, violence, or being left alone, can really affect how well someone can control their feelings. This can make their EQ lower. Also, mental health problems like anxiety, sadness, or problems with how their brain develops can also make it harder for emotional intelligence to grow. These things make it harder to understand and handle feelings.

How Does Low EQ Affect Quality Of Life? 

Low emotional intelligence can seriously impact your life if you do not try to improve your EQ.

Affects personal and family relationships 

Low EQ can make it hard for you to understand how other people feel. You might easily get upset or react badly in sensitive times. When you can't control your feelings, you might accidentally hurt people you care about. This can cause problems in your relationships. Over time, being distant and having fights can make you lose important connections in your life.

Causes obstacles in career and work 

People with low EQ often are not flexible when talking to others and solving problems. This makes it hard to work in a group. They get easily stressed by work, have trouble controlling their mood when things are tough, and might react badly to coworkers or bosses. This not only makes them less productive but also makes it harder to get promoted. It makes it difficult for them to have a friendly and professional place to work.

Negative impact on mental and physical health 

Low EQ is closely connected to how healthy you are in your mind and body. It can cause:

• More Stress, Worry, and Sadness: If you can't manage your feelings well, it can lead to mental health problems. PMC showed that a study of 622 teenagers (average age 14.74, 38% male, 62% female) in Pune, India, in 2021 found that 18% had low EQ. These people were more likely to have serious sadness and worry (p < 0.0001 for sadness, p = 0.001 for worry).
• Physical Health Problems: Long-lasting stress from low EQ can cause high blood pressure and heart problems. TalentSmartEQ mentioned a study from Emory University that showed holding grudges (which is related to low EQ) can lead to high blood pressure and heart disease.

Are You Curious: Who Are You in the 16 DISC figures?

Learn Your EQ Score To Navigate Life And Work Better

Emotional distress can come from low emotional intelligence. It’s best to find out if your EQ score is affecting you negatively or the opposite. By knowing your EQ level, you can find ways to improve your score, build positive relationships, and respond healthily to different situations. 

Discover Now: IQ or EQ: What is the difference between them? 

Final Thoughts

Hopefully, this article has helped you understand more about the signs of low EQ and how to know if someone has a low EQ. This can help you see if you are experiencing this and start to fix it. To understand your own EQ score better, you can take an EQ test to learn more about yourself at discpersonalities.com

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 

Does low emotional intelligence mean high IQ? 

Many people think if someone has low EQ, they must have high IQ. But that's not always true. Studies show that sometimes people with high IQ have low EQ. Yet, not everyone with low EQ is smart. You mostly get your IQ from your parents, but you can learn and improve your EQ.

How to fix low emotional intelligence?

Unlike IQ, you can develop and improve your EQ score through learning and your life experiences. Parents can help their children get better emotional intelligence from a young age. They can do this by encouraging them to take classes on soft skills, work in groups, and learn how to control their feelings.

Do people with narcissism have low EQ?

People with narcissistic personality disorder often think they are very important. They want others to admire them but don't really understand or care about how others feel. This is one of the common signs of low EQ. It can really hurt their relationships with others. In many cases, this is not just about feelings but also a type of mental health problem that needs help and treatment quickly.