Definition: When someone operates at elite emotional intelligence levels—specifically the combo move of catching their own BS mid-sentence, course-correcting without ego (“my bad, you were right”), and communicating needs clearly without drama. Like an emotional ninja with humility built-in.
The varsity-level upgrade? Spotting when the other person can’t do this and gracefully bouncing before things get messy. It’s not ghosting; it’s strategic peacekeeping. Major green flag for maturity.
Example:
Mid-argument, she caught herself exaggerating and paused: “Actually, you’re right, my bad. Can we focus on finding a solution instead?”
Seeing her colleague becoming defensive and unable to self-reflect, he gracefully ended the call, avoiding escalation.