TOEFL Устная речь Task 3

Emotional intelligence refers to the ability to perceive, understand, and manage one’s own emotions, as well as to recognize and influence the emotions of others. It involves four key components: self-awareness (knowing your own feelings), self-management (controlling impulsive reactions), social awareness (empathizing with others), and relationship management (handling social interactions effectively). Unlike fixed IQ, emotional intelligence can be developed through practice and is considered crucial for personal well-being and professional success.

Professor: So, let me give you a real-world example of emotional intelligence in action. Last year, I observed a team leader, Sarah, in a tech company. One afternoon, her team faced a major setback—a client rejected their project. Several team members looked frustrated and started blaming each other. Sarah first paused and noticed her own irritation—that’s self-awareness. Then, she took a deep breath and said, ‘I’m upset too, but let’s not panic.’ This is self-management, because she controlled her impulse to yell. Next, she turned to each person and asked, ‘How are you feeling right now?’ She listened carefully, acknowledging their anger and disappointment—that’s social awareness. Finally, she suggested a short break and then said, ‘Let’s solve this together. We can revise the presentation by Friday.’ She assigned clear tasks, which helped rebuild cooperation—that’s relationship management. As a result, the team finished the revision on time and even won back the client.