Lauren Sweeney

Do you know what Emotional Intelligence is, really? Today EQ is thrown around like anotherbuzz word gaining an increasingly shallow definition and understanding. The biggest challenge we see is that most people don't really know what EQ is and how it can support their team, culture, and organizational development. The most successful companies and individuals are the ones that adapt their culture and communication around the key elements of Emotional Intelligence (EI). Many experts contend that EI is more important than the Intelligence Quotient (IQ) and actually accounts for 80% of professional success. According to Daniel Goleman, the preeminent expert of EI, Emotional Intelligence is categorized into four quadrants, and it helps build and maintain healthy personal and professional thoughts, actions, and relationships. Workplaces and companies across the nation have now identified EI as a defining factor in company culture, productivity, and increased results. Today, companies around the world are incorporating the idea of Emotional Intelligence into their professional perspective and strategic outlook. According to David L. Van Rooy Ph.D, the Senior Director of Global Leader Development for Walmart, and author of Trajectory: 7 Career Strategies to Take You From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be, A correlation between EI and improved performance, and the validity of EI has held constant across the different performance domains, from the workplace to academic.”