You have probably heard the term “emotional intelligence” many times but what exactly is it? And why is it important for children to develop their emotional intelligence?

Emotional intelligence, or emotional quotient (EQ) is a “person’s ability to identify, evaluate, control and express emotions.” It helps us communicate with others, negotiate situations and develop clear thought patterns.

Leading psychologist and author, Daniel Goleman argued in his New York Times bestselling book, Emotional Intelligence: Why it can matter more than IQ (1996), that EQ is a more important measure of how successful a person is, than Intelligent Quotient (IQ). Goleman’s revolutionary ideas around the science behind EQ started the movement towards incorporating EQ into many organizations and school curriculums.

EQ is a more important measure of how successful a person is, than IQ

IQ measures a person’s academic intelligence, whereas EQ measures emotional intelligence — a person’s ability to interact with others or ‘social intelligence’. People with high IQ do not always have social intelligence and may lack the skills to be successful in many current work environments.

According to a Forbes article in 2013, “research carried out by the Carnegie Institute of Technology highlights 85 percent of financial success is due to skills in ‘human engineering’ including your personality, ability to communicate, negotiate and lead.’ And only 15 percent is due to ‘technical knowledge.” People with a strong EQ make good leaders and managers and are better at working collaboratively in team environments.

If we foster EQ with our children when they are young, we are setting them up to communicate well, develop strong relationships, negotiate tricky situations, be leaders in their field and according to TalentSmart even earn more money. They will be more empathetic and compassionate to their friends, partners and own children, relate more easily to others and have a greater self-awareness.

(According to Huffingtonpost.com)