EI is not just Emotional Intelligence. It’s Effective Intelligence.

Picture you're Peter Gibbons in today’s modernized workplace.?Imagine you're at work, trying to work on that ever-important TPS report that your boss, the infamous Bill" Lumbergh requested. Instead of staring into space for 15 minutes, you instead get a notification on your phone of a new video.?Scrolling through the endless algorithmic rabbit hole of TikTok, you stumble upon a video of a baby kitten sneezing profusely. It's adorable. It's heartwarming. It’s been viewed 297,000 times already.?It makes you tear up, right there at your desk. Shhh - you've discovered you have emotions (congratulations!). Don’t you dare suppress them, because in a world where technology dominates the day, an individual’s real superpower may well reside into tapping into the well of emotional intelligence to be effective. While Office Space is a comedic cult classic, it’s really a before-its-time masterclass in in emotional intelligence. Nay, its emotional intelligence at its finest it is.

The field of Emotional intelligence (EI) has grown exponentially since its introduction 29 years ago, but its constructs remain controversial due to individual interpretations inside and outside of the field of study. EI remains elusive as a widely accepted measurement and often requires interpretations of self-awareness, recognition, and/or self-reporting. Back in 1995, Daniel Goleman’s published concepts around EI introducing a mainstream narrative to the public that explored the relevance of human emotions and their impacts towards cognitive reasoning. Goleman raised thought-provoking notions illustrating the concepts of EI as they relate to IQ, noting that they could be predictive indicators of success.

At the time of its publication, EI wasn’t what is today. It was barely in its infancy. Much of the research and evidence referenced in Goleman’s original work was insightful but grounded in interpretative theory. A nice idea at best. Goleman pushed the narrative by foundationally rooting EI back to early adolescence, shaped by their upbringing, evolving as a teenager, and maturing in adulthood before extending those learned traits at work. The teaching of social and emotional learning in schools experienced a “rapid ascension” that was “taken up broadly” by educational administrators once it was introduced (Stearns, 2019).?This is where I believe EI has gained substantial credibility.

While Goleman’s intentions may have been to educate the audience, tones of his journalistic background are seeded throughout the book, mixing evidence-based results with his interpretations. Well, it’s 2023 and EI’s come a long way.?In his tenth edition, Goleman further explains that “if one day I overheard a conversation in which two strangers used the phrase emotional intelligence and both understood what it means, I would have succeeded in spreading the concept” (Goleman, 2006). Mission [somewhat] accomplished Mr. Goleman, as it can be argued that he indeed succeeded in qualifying that the concepts of EI are recognized and generally acknowledged in today’s landscape.?Be it in the realm of education, as evidenced by the early educational adoption and practice of social and emotional learning (Schonert-Reichl, 2017), or being practiced as an intangible key to success by the likes of business leaders, EI is real. EI’s rapid acceptance raises considerations of who is driving adoption and whether its concepts, policies, and governance are being driven by psychologists, teachers, journalists, organizations, or working professionals. The answer is all of them, as all are driving EI's adoption.

A recent post on LinkedIn referenced the top ten most sought-after skills over the next 5 years, of which you can see Goleman’s influence has grown from theoretical to practical.?While technological skills will be in demand and ever evolving, this top ten goes against the narrative you hear about a shortage of skills base resources for which organizations will continue having a hard time filling those roles (you can thank Automation and AI for changing the narrative). The post cite the following in particular order:

1.????Creative Thinking (EI)

2.????Analytical Thinking (EI)

3.????Technological Literacy (IQ)

4.????Curiosity (EI)

5.????Resiliency, Flexibility, and Agility (EI)

6.????Systems Thinking (IQ)

7.????AI and Big Data (IQ)

8.????Motivation and Self Awareness (EI)

9.????Talent / People Management (EI)

10.??Customer Service (EI)

That’s 70% EI, 30% IQ.?I get it. There are may "top ten" lists out there when it comes to needed skills in the workplace, but the fact that a list like this exists shows how impactful EI's presence is making. What I’m writing here is that while processing data has become a technological commodity, people processing has not.?Yes, Watson may be programmed with a higher IQ because it can compute faster, but nothing can replace the feeling that an individual’s EI brings to table.

Sometimes, it’s much more effective to read to the room than to read the excel data.??Morale of the story ... be more like Peter Gibbons.

Reference and Additional Readings

Goleman, D. (2006). Emotional intelligence; Why It Can Matter More Than IQ. New York, NY: Bantam.

Kimberly A. Schonert-Reichl. (2017). The Future of Children. Vol. 27, No. 1, Social and Emotional Learning and Teachers, pp. 137-155.

Salovey, P., & Mayer, J. D. (1990). Emotional intelligence. Imagination, Cognition and Personality, 9, 185–211.

Stearns, C. (2019). Critiquing social and emotional learning: psychodynamic and cultural perspectives Lanham, MD: Lexington Books.