Emotional Intelligence- The tale less told

The Oxford Dictionary defines Emotional Intelligence as:

“The capacity to be aware of, control, and express one's emotions and to handle interpersonal relationships judiciously and empathetically”

Several academic pieces of research testify that Emotional Intelligence has a strong relationship with Job Performance, Potential of leadership, Entrepreneurship, as well as Employability. It is interesting to note that unlike its more talked about counterpart: “Intelligence Quotient” or IQ, Emotional Intelligence or EQ has a significant role to play in areas beyond professional settings. A high EQ is positively correlated with Happiness, Successful relationships, and a sound mental as well as physical well-being.

Cruciality of EQ for success

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People who are emotionally intelligent, possess the ability to decipher and control their internal feelings and emotions. This helps them in keeping calm when they are under pressure or are being provoked. Having a high EQ score does not imply that an individual does not have emotions. A high EQ signifies that the individual displays them in the right places and at the right time. It has been observed by Ovans, (2015) that most successful leaders have brilliant EQ scores. This does not undermine the requisite of a high IQ to become a successful leader. IQ is primary and an entry level requirement but it does not suffice to make an individual an effective and successful leader. An individual having the best education, the best training, stupendous critical thinking and quintessential analytical abilities, but a low score of Emotional Intelligence will fail as a leader.

It is astonishing how less the contemporary society is emphasising and stressing towards excelling Emotional Intelligence. It has been observed by Carlopio et al, (2012) that over the period of last century, IQ among human beings has increased by 25% i.e. people are more intelligent now than they were 100 years back. Over past 100 years, EQ scores in contrast to IQ have declined, and it has amplified the prominence of grave issues such as rising suicide rates, divorce rates, mass shootings, xenophobia, homophobia, increase in issues related to mental health such as depression and bipolar disorder (Schutz & Nizielski, 2012), declining levels of tolerance in the context of nationalism and diversity, and many more.

Empathy is a very important facet attached to Emotional Intelligence. Carlopio et al, (2012) observe that Emotionally Intelligent individuals are very accurate in identifying and empathising with what others feel. Empathy is not about showcasing sympathy towards a loss or hardship of another. It involves reflecting sensitiveness towards the emotions, feelings and experience that other people are going through. Sheryl Sandberg, the COO of Facebook made a very important point on empathy in a speech recently. She lost her husband in 2015 in an accident. It was a sudden death, which devastated and shattered her. In a recently delivered speech, she mentioned the emotional turmoil she went through after her husband’s death and how she craved for empathy from her friends and colleagues because all they offered was sympathy. She stated that encouragement is better than sympathy; saying “it will be ok” to the one who is suffering is not enough. People need to help the shattered in rising again. All it requires is empathy, a crucial facet of Emotional Intelligence. 

It is high time that we focus on developing an intellectually and emotionally intelligent generation which understands that popularity on social-media platforms and fame does not guarantee peace, tranquillity, and happiness. It is important for managers to understand that the increased labour turnover ratio might have to do something with their brute attitude. Could emotional intelligence be developed among people? The answer is yes! Unlike IQ, emotional intelligence is not inherited genetically and does not remain constant over a lifetime. EQ can be developed and enhanced. McKee, (2015) emphasises on the Boyatzis’s Intentional change theory for the development of emotional intelligence. Her observation is supported by experiments conducted with several leaders. It is a two step process-

1. Guiding people in identifying the vision for their future and

2. Making them understand the deviations in their behaviour that will hinder their accomplishment of this vision.

IQ and EQ are integral components of personality

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As a society, we are not doing enough to propagate and inculcate Emotional Intelligence. The harms of a society negligent towards EQ are not just apparent in the professional life of an individual, but this negligence has a strong impact on personal life and well-being. It determines how we mould and shape the psychology of our Children and what kind of future adults they will become. Are we raising bullies? Are we raising children with inbuilt insecurities in terms of their physical appearance or lifestyle? Are we nurturing empathetic human beings or are we our breeding children like racehorses; to always win and mark the number one spot in the race for education and career, overlooking their emotional development in the process? Set a goal along with the goal of sending your kid to an Ivy League college, the goal to raise an Emotionally Intelligent human being. It will make a huge difference to the crazy world we are living in today, which scores extremely low on EQ.

References

Carlopio, J., Andrewartha, G., Whetten, D & Cameron, K. (2012). Develop Management Skills. New South Wales: Pearson

McKee, A. (2015). How to Help Someone Develop Emotional Intelligence. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2015/04/how-to-help-someone-develop-emotional-intelligence

Ovans, A. (2015). How Emotional Intelligence Became a Key Leadership Skill. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2015/04/how-emotional-intelligence-became-a-key-leadership-skill

Schutz, A. & Nizielski, S. (2012) Emotional Intelligence as a Factor in Mental Health. Retrieved from https://www.uni-bamberg.de/fileadmin/uni/fakultaeten/ppp_lehrstuehle/psychologie_4/pressearchiv/Emotional_Intelligence_as_a_Factor_in_Mental_Health.pdf