Emotional Intelligence

When I was young, all there was just plain old intelligence, then measured by the IQ test. The test has survived, flawed as it is, and continues to affect lives. Its very existence proved to be a challenge to the many other forms of intelligence. These days we have emotional intelligence, and lately, artificial intelligence. All are significantly different. More forms have been identified including…

Emotional (empathetic +)

Naturalist (nature smart)

Musical (sound smart)

Logical-mathematical (number/reasoning smart)

Existential (life smart)

Interpersonal (people smart)

Bodily-kinesthetic (body smart)

Linguistic (word smart)

Newer forms of intelligence include...

Artifical (algorithmic and programming)
Information (mining and correlating)
Entertainment (artificial living smarts)
Medical (diagnosis smart)

Older but still valid forms include...

Teaching (showing how smart)
Mechanical (engine smart)
Hunting and tracking (outdoors smart)
Planting (growing food smart)
Parenting (raising young smart)
Logistical (getting things done smart)

Just try to live even two centuries ago without one or two of these. Mechanical intelligence used to be taught in the schools but was deprecated because it hinted at discrimination. Parenting skills, once a hallmark of Western life, has been transferred in many cases to the schools, and we know how they are doing. You could also include lessor forms such as skills/intelligence with wood, management, clothing, and many others over of all time.

Yes, skills are a definitive form of intelligence. Not to be diminished.

Today, we consider just the first of them, Emotional Intelligence. It is tremendously important but is scarcely 50 years old, even though we’ve always had it in varying degrees. Begin with the question.

What elevates a good leader to a great one? In an enterprise where most leaders are intelligent, what skills and qualities help make leaders truly effective? The research is clear and compelling. Emotional intelligence (EI) accounts for at least the difference in effective leadership over cognitive abilities. Some say the difference is greater still.

Emotional intelligence (EI), conguent with empathy, can be learned. EI is the capability of individuals to recognize their own emotions and those of others, discern between different feelings and label them appropriately, use emotional information to guide thinking and behavior, and manage and/or adjust emotions to adapt to environments or achieve one's goal(s).

Read up on this most interesting quality. EI, according to Daniel Goldman*, exhibit superior performance as leaders, and general intelligence correlates closely with leadership.

People, including leaders, with high Emotional Intelligence (EI) have greater mental health and are:

· More self-confident

· Trustworthy

· Comfortable with ambiguity

· Optimistic and committed

· Better at tapping talent in themselves and their teams

Now a personal note. You may not have EI in large measures (I don’t), but other forms of intelligence can make your life, happiness, and success. Take a personal inventory. Add to the lists above and celebrate how you’re doing. If you are reading this, you’re not doing too bad.

*References.

Emotional Intelligence, Daniel Goldman, 1965.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/emotional-intelligence

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emotional_intelligence

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