You know the term "emotional intelligence" — using your emotions, feelings, moods and those of others — as a source of information that allows you to make better decisions and navigate through life more effectively. For the last few months, I have been helping individuals in many Fortune 500 companies develop and apply their emotional intelligence in the context of the corporate ritual, performance appraisal.

If ever time to apply your emotional intelligence, it’s when you have your performance appraisal. After all, when was the last time you said to a friend or your partner, "Gee, I can’t wait until tomorrow — I have my performance appraisal." For most, PA triggers all sorts of anxieties and often the process promotes defensiveness peppered with anger with results of disappointment, dejection, and even depression, not the best for inspiring improvement. You can turn it around by using three components of your emotional intelligence — mood management, interpersonal expertise, and self-motivation. I’ll walk you through each.

via Dr. Hendrie Weisinger: Emotional Intelligence at Work: Your Performance Appraisal.