06 Aug Emotional intelligence, an asset for development
We often hear about emotional intelligence (EI), but what exactly is it? It’s the ability to manage emotions and feelings. It complements the intelligence quotient (IQ) that everyone knows, to measure intelligence. It’s a good compromise between the rational and the emotional. Peter Salovey and John D. Mayer were the first researchers to take an interest in this field in the 1990s. For them, it’s “the ability to perceive and express emotions, to integrate them to facilitate thinking, to understand and reason with emotions, and to regulate emotions in oneself and others” (Mayer & Salovey, 1997). If you can describe your emotions easily, adapt quickly to change, are empathetic, can say “no” and are not touchy, chances are you have a high level of emotional intelligence. This is good news, because emotional intelligence is thought to account for 70% of the success of decision-makers, and according to numerous studies, it’s even a key success factor. A high EI is an asset that will enable you to flourish, both professionally and personally. If you don’t think it’s high enough, don’t worry: emotional intelligence can be developed and improved through training and therapy.