Emotional intelligence is critical in dealing with people but it is not essential for all types of success.
We are hearing a lot about emotional intelligence these days but what is all the fuss about? First of all, what does it mean? It is first a matter of having insight into your own emotions and being able to manage them. Second, it's being sensitive to the feelings of others, being able to manage people whose emotions are getting in the way of their success and yours. Relationships are vital in virtually all aspects of life and emotions are at the heart of both good and bad relationships. People with poor emotional intelligence see only their own needs; they are oblivious to the feelings of others and they let themselves get carried away by their own feelings. Many careers depend on emotional intelligence: jobs that involve persuading, advising, managing or helping people are obvious examples. Creative roles are not so dependent on emotional intelligence. Being a writer, artist or inventor is less dependent on relationships if your creations are so good that they can virtually sell themselves. Some roles in large companies are called 'individual contributor' roles where you can get away with less than perfect interpersonal skills as long as you are really good at your job and are not too obnoxious. Where does leadership fit into this picture? If you equate leadership with being an executive, then yes, you need to be emotionally intelligent. However, if you see leadership as being creative and promoting new ideas to people, you might get away with a blunt, abrasive influencing style if you can provide really convincing, hard evidence for your proposal. Because creativity is at the heart of much of today's knowledge work, we are prepared to put up with insensitive types if they can really deliver.
