"It takes something more than intelligence to act intelligently.
Emotional Intelligence (EI or EQ) has become a more mainstream topic over the past decade. Having strong interpersonal skills can be beneficial in all areas of our life. A high EQ allows us to better manage our personal and professional relationships. Organizations are now favoring EQ over IQ as part of their hiring practices. While it is important to hire smart people, having more people with the right people skills is what allows organizations to operate more effectively, especially in leadership roles.
I understand the importance of people skills. Having worked as a technical recruiter, career advisor and in social services, I learned and taught so much about interpersonal communication and relationships. I have learned how to be more compassionate and empathetic in delicate situations. I have learned how to get my point across without having to be insensitive or condescending. I have also showed others how to manage conflict by modeling more effective behavior. These are all skills I developed over the past 20 years.
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One big difference I found between IQ and EQ is that our IQ does not vary much over time. With our EQ, however we have the ability to develop our soft skills and become more empathetic. I learned how to remove my ego from situations where I felt the need to be harsh or critical toward someone. Having more conversations with my heart in quiet contemplation has helped immensely. I also benefit from being more mindful and not so quick to react, but instead seek to respond with more care. Very seldom will I want to take back what I said or did because I reacted hastily.
Having meaningful personal and professional relationships can do wonders for our quality of life. Developing and maintaining meaningful relationships requires our ability to come from a place of more compassion and empathy. It does not mean that we allow ourselves to get walked all over or put in our place. Emotional intelligence also requires us to stand up for what we feel is right, but from a place of level headedness where we can respond more rationally. I guess that's why "they" say cooler heads prevail.
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