Emotional intelligence is more important than cognitive inte

Solution

Let us start by understanding the terms’ Emotional Intelligence’ and ‘Cognitive Intelligence’.

Cognitive Intelligence is also referred to as IQ and involves the ability to reason, strategize, solve complications, understand ideas, learn fast and learn from experience. Thus, this will lead to the development and perfection of skills, the hygiene factor necessary be able to do a job.

The understanding of Emotional Intelligence is largely based on Howard Gardner\'s Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences in which he introduced ‘Multiple Intelligence’ which comprises ’Interpersonal Intelligence’ and ‘Intrapersonal Intelligence’. Here Interpersonal Intelligence refers to the ability to understand the emotions of others while Intrapersonal Intelligence’ refers to the ability to comprehend and appreciate one’s own emotions. In other words we could say that an emotionally intelligent person would be able to understand the human reactions that a particular situation might result in or resulted in.

Daniel Goleman’s model outlines the following 4 main EI constructs:

Thus, while Cognitive Intelligence is a must in order to be really good at what one does, Emotional Intelligence would help to build bonds, resolve conflicts, use situations to one’s advantage etc.

This clearly indicates that when comparing two or more equally skilled individuals at a workplace, the one with higher Emotional Intelligence would clearly forge ahead due to his/her ability to understand the situation and people from all perspectives and also have better control on personal reactions due to heightened self-awareness and higher self-management capabilities.