Intelligence is more than we thought it was. We already know from our own experiences in the world that it takes more than just being smart or having a high IQ to be successful. We had already seen many a times, that our brightest students have failed to experience success in life which we would have predicted using our traditional methods of evaluation.
Research tells us that IQ contributes to only 20% of the factors that determine success while the remaining 80% is referred to as “EQ” or Emotional Intelligence.
So what is this Emotional Intelligence and how can it be developed?
While IQ is the measurement of the capacity to acquire and apply knowledge, EQ is the capacity to know and manage one’s emotions, to channelize emotions in service of goals. It’s empathy and being able to recognize emotions in others and to effectively handle relationships.
Because of their connection to behavior, emotions impact every area of life: health, learning, achievement, and relationships. Managing feelings well and recognizing and responding effectively to the feelings of others enables children to lead happy and productive lives and to master habits of mind that contribute to personal and career success. We all, parents and educators, must nurture emotional intelligence in the same caring way we nurture IQ.
Most people are simply unaware of the implications and impact of emotions on health, learning, behavior and relationships. The research is rich with examples, but the end result is that people with more highly developed emotional competence have better health, do better at learning, exhibit behavior that is contributing and pro-social, and are able to establish more meaningful, longer lasting relationships. With all this standing in its favor the development of EQ is as important as the consideration of IQ particularly when its contribution to academic performance and intellectual growth are so vital.
