Emotional Inteligence Essay -- Emotional Intelligence

An increasing percent of the population begins to know the idea of emotional intelligence. This concept was firstly developed by two American university professors, John Mayer and Peter Salovey (1990) and they concluded that, people with high emotional quotient are supposed to learn more quickly due to their abilities. Another psycologist named Daniel Goleman (1995) extended the theory and also made it well-known. In his articles and books, he argued that people with high emotional quotient do better than those with low emotional quotient. In this essay, it will be argued that high emotional intelligence can influence work performance positively to a relatively high extent. Both benefits and limitations of a high level of EI in the workplace will be discussed and a conclusion will be drawn at the end of this essay. The definition of emotional intelligence given by Salovey and Mayer (1990) focuses on the ability to understand one’s own and others’ emotions and also to manage one’s own emotions positively. On the other hand, Goleman’s definition (1995) covers more aspects, including 25 abilities and skills such as trustworthiness, communication and empathy. The former definition is more scientific and appropriate while the latter one is called the ‘corporate definition’ because its contents accommodate the interests of large corporations. However, the academic findings of the two professors are not widely known while Goleman’s edition is commonly accepted due to his best-seller book ‘Emotional Intelligence’ (Goleman 1995). The following essay will be mainly based on Goleman’s definition. High emotional intelligence can improve work performance and its varied aspects can contribute to work differently. One aspect of emotion... ...igence: Isses in Paradigm building, The emotionally intelligent workplace: how to select for, measure, and improve emotional intelligence in individuals, groups, and organizations, Jossey-Bass Ch.2 Goleman D.(2001) An EI-based theory of performance, The emotionally intelligent workplace: how to select for, measure, and improve emallenge emotional intelligence in individuals, groups, and organizations, Jossey-Bass Ch.3 Fernandez-Araoz C.(2001) The challenge of hiring senior executives, The emotionally intelligent workplace: how to select for, measure, and improve emallenge emotional intelligence in individuals, groups, and organizations, Jossey-Bass Ch.6 Arnold J., Silvester J., Patterson F., Robertson I., Cooper C. and Burnes B. (2005) Work Psychology: Understanding Human Behaviour in the Workplace 4th edition, Pearson Education Limited Essex