What is emotional intelligence (eq)?

A New Intelligence Paradigm

You may have heard the term "Emotional Intelligence," but what does it actually mean in practice?

In its purest essence, Emotional Intelligence, also known as Emotional Quotient (EQ), is the fundamental ability to interact with the world of emotions—both our own and others'—in a wise and constructive way.

For decades, our culture has idolized the Intelligence Quotient (IQ) as the gold standard of intelligence, celebrating logic, memory, and analytical ability.

However, life itself constantly shows us that this view is incomplete.

We all know people of dazzling academic brilliance who nevertheless stumble in the arena of human relationships, struggle to manage their impulses, or feel lost when it comes to navigating their own internal crises.

The Pillars of EQ

This is where Emotional Intelligence reveals its power.

It's not simply about 'being emotional', but about being intelligent about emotions.

This intelligence manifests itself in several key capabilities.

First, the ability to recognize and understand our own emotions: to know what we are feeling and, crucially, why we are feeling it.

Second, the capacity to manage those emotions, so that we are not swept away by outbursts of anger that we regret or spirals of sadness that paralyze us.

It's about consciously choosing the right emotion for the right moment.

Connecting with Others

But EI doesn't stop at our skin.

An essential component is the ability to recognize and understand emotions in others, a skill we call empathy.

And finally, it involves the capacity to positively influence the emotions of those around us, inspiring, motivating and building bridges instead of walls.

Ultimately, emotional intelligence is the art of knowing yourself, managing yourself, and, from that solid foundation, connecting authentically and effectively with the world.

It is the intelligence that ultimately allows us not only to survive, but to thrive in the complex dance of human life.