You are more than your IQ: The importance of emotional intelligence

For years – centuries, really – the best determining factor for a person’s intelligence was through their logical assessment of the world, or rational intelligence. Something that would later be known as their ‘IQ’ (intelligence quotient).

I always believed that if your IQ was high, you were expected to be an engineer, mathematician, or scientist – always striving to know more. If it was low, well, you weren’t going to get very far in life. Although it may never have been directly taught to me in that fashion, it was heavily implied that rational intelligence was the most important determining factor in your lifelong success. It is still a point in my life that I feel heavily insecure about; that my worth in this world could be determined by a silly logistics test.

Not only is this belief entrenched in ableism (discrimination against individuals with disability), but it has been found to be incorrect. We all know our world isn’t a black/white landscape of either complete knowledge or ignorance. Everyone interprets and absorbs our world in different ways, and there is no right or wrong way to do it. I was relieved and vindicated when I discovered the work of psychologist Howard Gardner. He is known for recognising the issue with using solely IQ to determine intelligence, and published a book about it in 1983: Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences.

Multiple Intelligences

Gardner discussed in his work the varying ways in which humans interpret their world. He managed to study and identify eight different forms of intelligence that all interact independently of each other: linguistic, logic-mathematical, musical, spatial, bodily/kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalistic.

This theory has been both embraced and critiqued by teachers and school administrators across the world, yet has changed the education world for the better; allowing for a more thoughtful consideration of individual student’s needs and limitations. It also has opened up a multitude of differing teaching styles, bringing focus to visual learning, self-reflection, and natural observations.

Two of the eight intelligences that Gardner identified, interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligence, have been combined to create what is commonly known as “emotional intelligence:” the ability to accurately assess emotions, and manage them effectively. This valuable form of intelligence is not only vital in day-to-day life, but businesses across the globe are beginning to see its usefulness. Something that I feel is long overdue.

Emotional IQ and Business

I’ve worked just over seven years in retail as a financially-struggling 20-something, and one thing that I commonly found lacking was an absence of empathy from upper management. Whether it was health issues, family troubles, or struggling to adapt to a serious change in business; there was always that important aspect of compassion missing. It wasn’t always obvious, but it did consistently make me walk away from the conversation feeling worthless or defeated.

Why couldn’t my manager understand that I was struggling to make it through the day? Why did my boss have to hold my job over my head because I wasn’t smiling at customers, or had been hospitalised? (If I hadn’t been 19 at the time, I would have reported them for threatening my employment due to a sudden illness. Ah well, live and learn.)

The last straw was when a returning manager to the small business I was employed with, came in and erased all my hard work on an assignment. Her thought was that she could do a better job, but it was the lack of communication and empathy for why I was upset that made me realise there was a serious recurring issue within retail. Something I would later identify as a lack of emotional intelligence.

The University of Southern California’s Applied Psychology program identifies emotional intelligence as a key to effective communication due to a person’s heightened ability to form empathy for another’s perspective. In general, USC notes that women tend to be more successful at creating collaborative and inclusive meetings within business; although anyone can practice and grow their emotional understanding over time.

The true success of emotional intelligence in business can be seen in leadership roles, which is where I often saw a deficit of it. Those that have a higher ‘Emotional IQ’ tend to lead more effectively, and will hire better employees in turn. Not only that, but according to researchers at the University of Maryland, Robert H. Smith School of Business, high emotional IQ can lead to an overall better job performance, improving a company’s profitability by 34%.

The main reason? Employees of companies with emotionally intelligent managers feel better appreciated and less stressed out when change or struggles hit the business. It’s really no wonder, then, why I’ve decided to leave the retail sector for good.

Emotional Intelligence and Relationships

Of course, emotional intelligence permeates other parts of our lives as well. In relationships between partners or friends, having a higher empathetic response can mean a more positive experience for everyone. When it comes to dating sometimes more fighting might mean a lower emotional intelligence, although that doesn’t always mean the relationship is unhealthy. It just means the people involved are less likely to back out of the argument, even when the other is giving off cues suggesting they disagree.

There is also the possibility for highly emotionally intelligent people to abuse their knowledge through manipulation, and it’s an important potential interaction to consider. As someone who has been through manipulative and emotionally abusive relationships, I can assure you that the outcome is damaging and can take years to undo. However, improving your own emotional intelligence can make you more aware to when abusive people cross your path.

Discovering the influence that emotional intelligence has in my life changed my trajectory for the better. I will no longer settle for apathetic bosses, nor place importance on rational thinking in the same way as I once did. Instead I will continue to hone my skills in interpreting body signals, empathising with everyone I interact with, and considering alternative perspectives in conversations. I will constantly be learning, but that is something I expect to do until the day I die.

Just remember, you are more than your IQ number. There will always be different ways to interpret and process the world we live in. Embrace what you know and continue to better yourself. The whole world will be a better place because of it.