Emotional Intelligence and Leadership Qualities Self-Awareness

Principals of Leadership: Service to Others
Fall Semester, 2010
Jeff Hawkins

"Emotional intelligence refers to the capacity for recognizing our own feelings and those of others, for motivating ourselves, and for managing emotions well in ourselves and in our relationships," says Daniel Goleman in his book "Working with Emotional Intelligence" (1999). It describes abilities distinct from, but complementary to, academic intelligence - the purely cognitive capacities measured by IQ.
The concept of an “emotional intelligence” as important in certain applications as an “Intellectual Intelligence” is not necessarily new. The conversations surrounding Emotional Intelligence are becoming more focused, and taking on a greater relevance in our practices. The idea of emotional intelligence (EQ) as a counterpart to intelligence quotient (IQ) for educators and educational leaders is an expanding area of study and self-reflection.
Research shows that emotional intelligence may actually be significantly more important than cognitive ability and technical expertise combined. In fact, some studies indicate that EQ is more than twice as important as standard IQ abilities. Further, evidence increasingly shows that the higher one goes in an organization, the more important EQ can be. For those in leadership positions, emotional intelligence skills account for close to 90 percent of what distinguishes outstanding leaders from those judged as average.
Once referred to as personality, "soft skills," character, or even communication skills, the scientifically based concept of emotional intelligence offers a more precise understanding of a specific kind of human talent.
Bruce Cryer, vice president, global business development, for Boulder Creek, California-based HeartMath, and co-author of "From Chaos to Coherence: