REC - EMTC: Insight 2/1: A new criteria for defining intelligence

B O O K S

A new criteria for defining intelligence

Emotional Intelligence: Why it can matter more than IQ
by Daniel Goleman
352 pages
Cover price: USD 23.95
Bantam Books
New York, N.Y.

Think of the smartest person you know. Now think of the most successful. Chances are you've just thought of two different people. But why? Isn't it the smart people who are supposed to succeed?

Not according to psychologist Daniel Goleman. In his book "Emotional Intelligence," the New York Times writer and former magazine editor sets forth his theory that even a genius smarter than Albert Einstein might not get anywhere if he or she doesn't understand the formula for human emotions.

According to this theory, success in professional and personal life does not rely solely upon being smart in the traditional sense (i.e. having a wide range of knowledge and technical expertise). Instead, success depends just as much on how we interact with the people around us.

Emotional factors at work

Goleman terms the awareness of our feelings "emotional intelligence." Emotionally intelligent people are not necessarily geniuses, nor are they born with any special gift. Instead, they have simply learned to control their emotions and recognize emotional factors at work in other people's actions. They are attuned to other people's feelings, and because of this, they get along with others and work well in groups (see the information box on this page).

FEELING SMARTER
Author Daniel Goleman outlines five main areas of "emotional intelligence." In short, developing these five skills is the key to becoming emotionally intelligent. Knowing your emotions. This means being aware of your own feelings as they occur so you can develop a rational reaction to them. Goleman uses countless examples of criminals to explain this and other concepts, but the point is that people who commit rash acts often do not recognize or remember their state of mind when carrying through with something. Only later do they realize what they have done and feel remorse. Developing a self awareness of how you are feeling will allow you to rationally accommodate that emotion. Managing your emotions. This involves fitting an appropriate response to the circumstance. Often small annoyances enrage us. This is most often because we don't recognize the emotional response we are giving. But an emotionally intelligent person is in touch with his or her emotions and is able to fit the right feeling to the matter at hand. Motivating yourself. Goleman states the obvious here: that highly motivated and optimistic people do better in the face of challenge. It's one of the weak aspects of the book, though, that he doesn't provide any specific ideas you can implement to become more motivated. Recognizing emotions in others. The ability to read non-verbal cues (i.e. tone of voice, gesture, facial expression) is essential in effective interaction with others and is a major part of emotional intelligence. Handling relationships. Once you have mastered the other four steps, it's time to move on to shaping emotional responses in others. The ability to shape an encounter, to mobilize and inspire others, to thrive in intimate relationships, and to persuade and influence others combines a knowledge of our own emotions with the ability to recognize when other people are feeling those emotions themselves.

FEELING SMARTER

Author Daniel Goleman outlines five main areas of "emotional intelligence." In short, developing these five skills is the key to becoming emotionally intelligent.

Knowing your emotions. This means being aware of your own feelings as they occur so you can develop a rational reaction to them. Goleman uses countless examples of criminals to explain this and other concepts, but the point is that people who commit rash acts often do not recognize or remember their state of mind when carrying through with something. Only later do they realize what they have done and feel remorse. Developing a self awareness of how you are feeling will allow you to rationally accommodate that emotion.
Managing your emotions. This involves fitting an appropriate response to the circumstance. Often small annoyances enrage us. This is most often because we don't recognize the emotional response we are giving. But an emotionally intelligent person is in touch with his or her emotions and is able to fit the right feeling to the matter at hand.
Motivating yourself. Goleman states the obvious here: that highly motivated and optimistic people do better in the face of challenge. It's one of the weak aspects of the book, though, that he doesn't provide any specific ideas you can implement to become more motivated.
Recognizing emotions in others. The ability to read non-verbal cues (i.e. tone of voice, gesture, facial expression) is essential in effective interaction with others and is a major part of emotional intelligence.
Handling relationships. Once you have mastered the other four steps, it's time to move on to shaping emotional responses in others. The ability to shape an encounter, to mobilize and inspire others, to thrive in intimate relationships, and to persuade and influence others combines a knowledge of our own emotions with the ability to recognize when other people are feeling those emotions themselves.

So while an intelligent person may come up with a plan to solve all the world's environmental problems, it would take an emotionally intelligent person to get the great plan implemented.

"In a sense we have two brains, two minds," Goleman writes, "and two different kinds of intelligence: rational and emotional. How we do in life is determined by both - it is not just IQ, but emotional intelligence that matters."

Once you become aware of the way emotions affect everyday human behavior, you will be able to improve your effectiveness in dealing with others. This could lead to improved business success, better personal relationships, or, in the case of environmental training, more effective results.

By applying Goleman's ideas and recognizing the emotional factors in the learning process, we can tailor trainings to best suit those who seek to learn.

Where emotions originate

Human responses to external stimuli are generated by two parts of the brain, the amygdala and the neocortex. The amygdala is the center of all emotional activity. It spurs you into action before the rest of your brain can sort out what is happening.

Meanwhile, the neocortex brings a more analytic or appropriate response to emotional impulses, regulating the amygdala. "The connections between the amygdala and the neocortex are the hub of the battlesÉ between thought and feeling. This circuitry explains why emotion is so crucial to effective thought, both in making wise decisions and in simply allowing us to think clearly."

With everything we do, both of these two parts of the brain generate a response of some kind. Therefore, the key is to develop an awareness of the emotional responses we can expect in different circumstances and train ourselves to respond in a rational manner.

More intelligent trainings

Chapter 6 of the books deals specifically with obstacles to learning. Goleman points out that fear of the unknown almost always makes people unreceptive to new information. Taking this into account, trainers can make their presentations more effective by beginning with some sort of exercise or introductory story to break the ice and calm the nerves before starting to deliver a training.

Another emotional phenomenon in the learning process involves the feeling of "flow." This emotional state happens when someone gets so caught up in what they are doing they forget about the rest of the world.

"Flow represents perhaps the ultimate in harnessing the emotions in the service of performance and learning. In flow the emotions are not just contained and channeled, but positive, energized and aligned with the task at hand. É It is a state in which people become utterly absorbed in what they are doing, paying undivided attention to the task, their awareness merged with their actions."

Because flow is so powerful and absorbing, teachers and trainers can achieve unparalleled results by tapping into areas that provide flow for learners. "Knowing a student's profile can help a teacher fine-tune the way a topic is presented and offer lessons at the level that is most likely to provide an optimal challenge. This makes learning more pleasurable, neither fearsome nor a bore."

Lessons for life

The last two sections of the book deal with developing emotional intelligence on a personal level. There are entire chapters devoted to keeping a marriage together, improving management skills, dealing with medical anxiety, raising emotionally intelligent children, emotional retraining and methods of teaching emotional literacy to others. This material is somewhat interesting, although there is limited application in the environmental training field.

While some of the material may seem like common sense, Goleman's theory of emotional intelligence explains much about the reasons people succeed or don't succeed. The book also offers insight into how even successful people can make their lives and work more rewarding. However, the countless examples of criminals and small children only serve to explain the concepts and do not provide many concrete steps for implementing Goleman's ideas.

Even so, the book is interesting reading for trainers and for anyone else who deals with other people in daily life. The ability to hold back rash emotions, to recognize what others are feeling and to build a rapport with other people are skills anyone can learn and master. And by adding emotional skill to the definition of what it means to be smart, we are likely to find we've suddenly become a lot more intelligent than we ever were before.

- Reuben J. Stern

REC * EMTC * PUBLICATIONS * INSIGHT * SUMMER 1997