6.3 Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence (also referred to as EQ) refers to a mix of emotional and social skills that help you understand yourself, express how you feel, build healthy relationships, handle stress, and use your emotions in an effective way.
People with high emotional intelligence are often described as “street smart,” excelling at reading social cues (e.g., facial expressions, body language, mood shifts), addressing conflicts constructively, leading teams with empathy, and regulating their own emotional responses.
Although there is considerable overlap between emotional intelligence and emotional wellness (both involve harnessing the power of emotions for positive outcomes), emotional wellness is an ongoing process of making choices to foster optimal well-being. In contrast, emotional intelligence centers specifically on the abilities and skills one uses to perceive, understand, and manage emotions (see table below).
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Emotional Wellness | An ongoing process of making choices to optimize and balance emotional well-being with other facets of well-being |
| Emotional Intelligence | A set of abilities – recognizing, understanding, and managing emotions effectively (yours and others) |
Emotional Quotient (EQ) vs Intelligence Quotient (IQ)
IQ generally refers to cognitive abilities, such as logical reasoning, problem-solving, and abstract thinking. It remains relatively stable over time and is typically measured through standardized tests designed to assess how well someone can learn, understand, and apply information. High IQ scores often correlate with strong academic performance and problem-solving skills—hence the term “book smarts.”
The following table provides a side-by-side comparison of both:
| Areas of Comparison | IQ | EQ |
|---|---|---|
| Nature of abilities | Cognitive skills (e.g., memory and reasoning) | Emotional/social skills (e.g., empathy, regulation) |
| Measurement | Tests that yield a numerical score | Behavioural observations, self-report questionnaires, or performance-based tests |
| Development | Relatively stable over time | Can be developed and refined through self-awareness, practice, and feedback |
| Impact | Indicates academic or technical potential | Predicts success in leadership, teamwork, and personal relationships |
Assessing Emotional Intelligence
To measure emotional intelligence, this book references the EQ-i 2.0 (Emotional Quotient Inventory 2.0), a widely used assessment tool developed by Multi-Health Systems (MHS), which examines five competencies – self-perception, self-expression, stress management, interpersonal skills, and decision-making. This assessment helps individuals understand their emotional strengths and areas for improvement, offering targeted insights and strategies to develop healthier relationships, enhance leadership abilities, and foster personal growth in these areas (MHS Staff, 2011).
Activity
Click on the cards below to learn more about the five competencies used in the EQ-i 2.0 assessment.
Text Description
Two competencies (self-perception and self-expression) will be unpacked further in this chapter. The remaining competencies listed are discussed in other chapters of this book:
