We live in a world that celebrates and prizes IQ (Intellectual Quotient) above everything else. In the past, people would assume that I.Q. was the best way to measure human intelligence and that those with a higher I.Q. were more likely to succeed by being more clever. But in recent years that's changed as just having a high IQ doesn't make one's interpersonal and intrapersonal relationships better and also there are many fields and industries where a high IQ only, would prove useless.
On a career level, it would prove that in certain industries, people with an average I.Q. regularly outperform those on the higher end of the I.Q. scale. This is where the concept of emotional intelligence(E.I.) comes in. The criterion against which E.I. can be measured was mainly developed by Daniel Goleman.
Goleman made a distinction between the kind of intelligence that allows someone to solve complex mathematical problems or process large amounts of information and the kind of intelligence that allows someone to understand the emotional complexities of people’s behaviors and accurately read their feelings.
Daniel Goleman defines the primary traits of emotional intelligence as Self-awareness, Self-regulation, Motivation, Empathy and
Social skills.
It’s not surprising, therefore, that those with higher E. I should be more successful than those with higher I.Q. in several jobs. A lawyer doesn’t have to calculate number sequences or visualize mathematical shapes to succeed at his or her job; the lawyer needs a perceptive insight and understanding of human behavior if he or she is to argue persuasively to a jury.
Similarly, a manager doesn’t need to be familiar with geometry – he or she just needs to know how to influence people.
Emotionally intelligent people are typically happier than the general public because of their ability to identify and deal with negative emotions logically and responsibly. They are grounded in reality; thoughtful, observant, and typically more compassionate.
Being a Psychologist is perhaps the most obvious career for someone who excels at handling their emotions – for two important reasons. Firstly, if you are good at defining your feelings and identifying their root, then you are more likely to be able to help others in doing the same. Advice and sympathy will come naturally as you have plenty of it.
Secondly, people working within psychology need great emotional strength to be able to deal with other people’s mental health issues. It’s important to maintain a degree of emotional disconnect if one is to act professionally in this field. Since emotionally intelligent people are good at managing their feelings and thinking logically – this makes them especially suitable for a career in psychology.
Other careers like Teaching, Management at all levels, Customer Service, Human resource management, Marketing, and even Politics, require a lot of emotional intelligence to succeed.
At an individual and interpersonal level which constitutes like 80% of Life, academic Intelligence would prove futile as it has little to do with Emotional Life. The brightest among us can founder on the shoals of unbridled passions and unruly impulses; People with High IQs can be stunningly poor pilots of their private lives.
So, what is the Role of Feeling in Thinking? Can Emotions be Intelligent?
First of all, Emotional Intelligence simply put, is the external application of Intrapersonal intelligence. Ok, that probably didn't sound as simple as you expected. I probably lost you at Intrapersonal Intelligence (I'll do a separate essay on this)
Emotional Intelligence is the ability to know and understand one's own feelings, emotions, and motives: where they stem from and to be able to use the same knowledge and processes to better understand and relate with another person.
This is crucial because human relationships at all levels require emotional intelligence. You need emotional intelligence to be able to relate with another human. Without emotional intelligence relationships at all levels will suffer.
How do you know that your overly defensive colleague, friend, boss, spouse, daughter, son, sister, brother, etc is actually dealing with low self esteem? How do you know that your extremely flirtatious friend etc is actually dealing with approval addiction? how do you know that your extremely shy and timid, angry and anxious friend is dealing with childhood trauma? Did you know that substance abuse and a plethora of other addictive behaviors stem from childhood trauma?
How do you know your wife/husband lashing out on you probably has nothing to do with you but everything to do with an experience they had at work or in the past? How do you know people who troll and criticize you harshly either admire you and want to be like you but feel they don't have what it takes or that they're just unhappy in their own lives? None of these is personal or about you.
But without emotional intelligence, we will take every action or reaction above at face value (personal). We will fight back, punch back, and get into the ring with people who are just truly Psychologically ill and in need of help.
Emotional Intelligence will help you see through all of these behaviors. You will be more understanding, patient, compassionate, gracious, and empathetic when dealing with them. You will see the deeper problem, you won't try to treat symptoms. Without it(E.I), relationships at all levels don't stand a chance
To lead people at any level requires Emotional Intelligence. To help or lead people, you must understand them to understand them, you must understand yourself. Emotional Intelligence is just too important. In a world of machines, it could be the only trace of human existence on the earth. Intellectual Quotient (IQ) can and is being Artificially generated (AI) It would seem only E. I will remain within the realm of human control.
Yes, emotions can be intelligent. Emotional intelligence depends solely on Intrapersonal Intelligence which is going to be our next topic. I'll tell you what it is and how to develop that powerful brand of intelligence.
