Importance Of Emotional Intelligence In The Workplace

Dr. Bhavana Arora

The term emotional intelligence is often contrasted with Intelligence Quotient. Many of us are aware of IQ as an individual’s score performing a series of tests designed to measure intellectual intelligence. Higher IQs indicate better cognitive abilities—these include the ability to learn and understand—and people with higher IQs are more likely to do well academically. Intelligence Quotient is a measure for a person's intelligence whereas Emotional Intelligence (EI), measured as an Emotional Intelligence Quotient (EQ), describes a concept that involves the ability, capacity, skill or a self-perceived ability, to identify, assess, and manage the emotions of one’s self, of others, and of groups. The EQ concept argues that IQ, or conventional intelligence, is too narrow; that there are wider areas of emotional intelligence that dictate and enable how successful we are. At the workplace, emotional intelligence is very important. It is believed that while cognitive skills help to get a job, it is emotional intelligence that helps to get promotions. Those who are in the higher levels of the organizational hierarchy require more emotional intelligence than those in the lower levels. It is believed that at the workplace, emotional intelligence is twice as important as analytical and technical skills. The present paper deals with the concept of Emotional Intelligence as a significant area of professional growth and highlights its importance in the workplace.