Mahtab Syed: On Emotional Intelligence

It has been a realization that just IQ is not enough for success in life...

I was trying to find the right words to express my inner thoughts, and I knew it’s not easy, as the concept is complex.

Recently I started reading the book "Working with Emotional Intelligence" by Daniel Goleman. Luckily the book I read before this was "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell.

Now the thoughts are crystallizing...

As both Daniel Goleman and Malcolm Gladwell put, success in work and life is not directly proportional to IQ. It is true that a basic IQ (above a threshold level, depending upon the area of work) is required as entry criteria. Beyond this, the IQ level becomes relatively unimportant as criteria of success.

I have been using the terms soft-skills and maturity.

Soft-skills, as I learnt them, generally refers to

Communication skills (oral, verbal and non-verbal),
Leadership skills (using proper Situational Leadership technique (Directing, Coaching, Consulting/Supporting, Delegating)
Networking skills (how do you go along and connect with people)
Negotiation skills (how to influence decisions in your favor)
Planning and Time Management skills (Working on more of “Not Urgent but Important activities”)

And Maturity is displayed when your actions and reactions are not spurt of emotions, but are balanced with the wisdom learnt over life (of situations and the good decisions taken). This is a not a clear definition and people don’t like to be told that they are not mature yet. This is taken rather personally by people.

So while Soft-skills is not completely defined, Maturity is not the right term to be used. I am thankful to Daniel Goleman for the new and more elaborate term “Emotional Intelligence”.

So what is Emotional Intelligence ? Its summarized here.