The Power of Emotional Intelligence: Succeeding at Work and in Life

Have you ever met someone who seems to handle stress effortlessly?

Or a colleague who always knows the right thing to say in tense situations?

Why do some people build strong relationships at work while others struggle, even if they have the same technical skills?

The secret often lies in emotional intelligence — the ability to understand emotions, manage them wisely, and connect with people on a deeper level.

📖 Anna’s Breakthrough: How Emotional Intelligence Changed Her Career and Life

When Anna joined a multinational company in Dubai, she quickly realised that technical skills alone would not make her successful. She was an excellent engineer, but she often struggled to recognise the mood of her colleagues, manage her stress during tight deadlines, and respond calmly when conflicts arose.

Her turning point came after a presentation went badly. Instead of blaming others, she reflected on how she had reacted. She remembered interrupting a team member, avoiding eye contact, and speaking in a rushed tone. A colleague later advised her, “Anna, you need to work on your emotional intelligence. It’s as important as your technical ability.”

Emotional Intelligence (EI), also called Emotional Quotient (EQ), is the ability to recognise and understand your own emotions, as well as the emotions of others, and use this awareness to manage your behaviour and relationships.

In today’s fast-changing world, employers require it as much as problem-solving or logical thinking.

High EI helps you in two powerful ways:

• Career success: You can empathise with clients, adapt to challenges, and build stronger workplace relationships.

• Personal growth: You learn to stay calm under pressure, make better decisions, and maintain a positive mindset.

⚠️ When EI Is Missing: A Failure Story

Not everyone recognises the importance of EI.

David, a talented IT specialist, was known for his technical skills, but he had a habit of reacting emotionally when things went wrong.

In one project meeting, a software bug delayed the launch. Instead of discussing solutions, David raised his voice, blamed his teammates, and stormed out.

The result? His colleagues felt disrespected, the team’s trust was damaged, and his manager decided not to give him a leadership role in the next project.

David later admitted that he had never thought about how his emotions affected others.

🌍 Why EI Matters in the Workplace and Beyond

In a multicultural team, misunderstandings happen easily. Imagine working with people from five different countries, each with different communication styles.

If you can recognise when someone feels uncomfortable, or if you can respond to criticism without becoming defensive, you create trust.

For example, Ahmed, a project manager, once faced a crisis when a delivery was late. Instead of shouting, he calmly discussed solutions with his team. This not only solved the problem but also improved team morale. His EI made him a leader others wanted to follow.

In your personal life, EI helps you avoid unnecessary arguments, build deeper friendships, and even improve family relationships.

🛠 Strategies to Improve Emotional Intelligence

While this post focuses on understanding EI, here are three simple ways you can start improving today:

• Pause before you react. When you feel angry or stressed, take a deep breath and count to five.

• Listen actively. Focus on what the other person is saying instead of thinking about your reply.

• Reflect daily. Ask yourself: “How did I handle my emotions today? What could I do better tomorrow?”

🎥 Video Spotlight – Daniel Goleman on Emotional Intelligence

To deepen your understanding of emotional intelligence, watch this short video from Daniel Goleman, one of the leading voices on the topic:

📌 Watch here: Daniel Goleman Introduces Emotional Intelligence | Big Think

Summary:
In this video, Daniel Goleman explains that emotional intelligence is made up of several abilities: self-awareness, emotional self-management, empathy, and social skills.

• Women, on average, tend to be stronger in empathy, especially emotional empathy — being able to sense in the moment how another person is feeling — and in social skills, such as keeping harmony within a group.

• Men, on average, often excel in self-confidence (particularly in group settings) and in managing distressing emotions.

Goleman’s insights show that emotional intelligence is not one single skill but a combination of abilities that help us work well with others, handle challenges, and build positive relationships.

About the speaker:
Daniel Goleman is a psychologist, lecturer, and science journalist who reported on the brain and behavioural sciences for The New York Times for many years. His 1995 book, Emotional Intelligence, stayed on The New York Times bestseller list for 18 months and helped make EI a widely recognised concept in both business and education.

📊 Interesting Stats & Facts about Emotional Intelligence

• According to a World Economic Forum report, emotional intelligence is ranked among the top 10 skills needed for success in the workplace of the future.

• Research by TalentSmart found that 90% of top performers in companies have high emotional intelligence, while only 20% of low performers do.

• People with high EI earn an average of $29,000 more per year than those with low EI, regardless of industry or education level.

• A study by Harvard Business Review showed that teams led by managers with high EI had better collaboration, lower stress levels, and 20% higher productivity.

• EI accounts for nearly 60% of job performance in leadership roles, making it even more critical than technical expertise in many careers.

🧠 Vocabulary Builder

All words below appear in bold in the reading text:

• Technical skills – abilities and knowledge needed for specific tasks or jobs

• Recognise – to identify someone or something you have seen before

• Manage – to control or organise something successfully

• Respond – to answer or react to something

• Emotional intelligence – the ability to understand and manage your own and others’ emotions

• Require – to need something because it is necessary

• Empathise – to understand and share another person’s feelings

• Reacting – responding emotionally or physically to a situation

💬 Idioms Related to Emotions

• Keep your cool – stay calm in a difficult situation

• Wear your heart on your sleeve – show your feelings openly

• Fly off the handle – suddenly become very angry

• In someone else’s shoes – imagine being in another person’s situation

📝 Comprehension Quiz

True or False

• Anna’s main problem at work was a lack of technical skills.

• Emotional intelligence is only useful in the workplace.

• High EI can help you make better decisions.

• Ahmed solved a crisis by shouting at his team.

• Pausing before reacting can improve EI.

• David’s behaviour helped him get a promotion.

Answers:

• False

• False

• True

• False

• True

• False

💡 Discussion Prompts

• Think about a time when you used emotional intelligence to solve a problem. What happened?

• Which is harder for you: managing your own emotions or understanding other people’s? Why?

• Do you think EI can be more important than IQ in some jobs? Give examples.

🔍 Final Reflection

Emotional intelligence is not fixed—you can develop it over time.

Whether you want to build a successful career or create more meaningful relationships, EI is the skill that connects knowledge with action, and logic with empathy.

As the workplace becomes more global and fast-paced, those who can combine technical skills with emotional awareness will always stand out.

So next time you feel frustrated or misunderstood, pause, listen, and put yourself in someone else’s shoes—you might be surprised at the results.

🧩 2-Minute Emotional Intelligence Quick Test

Read each statement and give yourself a score from 1 to 5:
1 = Never true for me
5 = Always true for me

1. I stay calm even when under pressure.
2. I can recognise my emotions as they happen.
3. I notice changes in other people’s mood or tone.
4. I think before I react in emotional situations.
5. I can explain how I feel without blaming others.
6. I adapt well when plans or situations change.
7. I can see things from another person’s point of view.
8. I listen more than I speak in conversations.
9. I handle criticism without becoming defensive.
10. I work well with people from different backgrounds or cultures.

📊 Scoring Guide

• 40–50 points – High EI 🏆
  You manage emotions well and connect easily with others. Keep practising active listening and empathy.

• 25–39 points – Moderate EI 🌱
  You have good emotional awareness but may need to work on certain areas, such as staying calm under stress or handling criticism.

• Below 25 points – Developing EI 🔍
  Focus on building self-awareness and practising empathy. Start with small daily changes, such as pausing before reacting or asking more open-ended questions.

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