The Personality Analyst

Interesting post. You wrote: "Meanwhile, it may be enough to learn about whether your EI is high or low, and to adjust accordingly."

That "adjust accordingly" is the big challenge. My work as a trainer in EI is to help people learn to change their habits and behaviors. It is a lifelong process.

I believe emotional intellligence is important and it has relevance. In my human growth and development class, we learned about Daniel Goleman's theories on emotional intelligence. He believed that people with emotional intelligence advance in their careers more often than those who do not. Goleman emphasize 5 areas of EI, they are self-motivation, empathy, self-awareness and managing relationships. I agree that if a person is proficient in these areas they would be good at dealing with different personality types and getting people on board with their agenda. Those are leadership qualities that most recruiters look for in an individual. I believe parents can foster that behavior by promoting autonomy in their children. By allowing or guiding them to make decisions helps children to assertive individuals.

Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences differs in scope but is worth mentioning. Primarily because he takes into account unconventional intelligences such as naturalist, musical and existential intelligences. Although these intelligences are not qualities most recruiters would look for in terms of leadership. Gardener feels we should respect people with other forms of intelligences. Dancers, singers, philosophers and wildlife conservationists possess gifts that enrich the world. Howard Garnder believed that people who have these gift do not receive much reinforcement. I believe all gifts need to be recognized and all emotional intelligences need to be nurtured.