Ever since Peter Salovey (Yale) and John Mayer (New Hampshire) first coined the term “Emotional Intelligence” (EQ) in 1990, much has been researched and written about what EQ is, how it works, and what you can do to improve it. And those three concepts have an important impact on the coaching profession.
Daniel Goleman brought “Emotional test DISC Intelligence” into the mainstream with the publication of his 1995 book Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ. Since that time, coaches have been adopting various EQ concepts.
What it is and How it Works
Definitions of EQ vary:
o Daniel Goleman’s Definition: “It is the capacity for recognizing our own feelings and those of others for motivating ourselves, and for managing emotions well in ourselves and in our relationships.” (1998)
o A Definition Based on Behavioral Thought: “Emotional Intelligence is the ability to restrain negative feelings such as anger and self-doubt, and instead focus on positive ones such as confidence and congeniality.” (From the American Psychological Association Monitor, Volume 29, Number 7 – July 1998 by Bridget Murray, Monitor staff
o Salovey and Mayer’s Definition: “Emotional Intelligence is the ability to perceive emotions, to access and generate emotions so as to assist thought, to understand emotions and emotional knowledge, and to reflectively regulate emotions so as to promote emotional and intellectual growth.” (1997)
o Six Seconds’ Definition: “Emotional Intelligence is the capacity to get optimal results from your relationships with yourself and others.” (1997
o Dr. Reuven Bar-On’s Definition: “Emotional Intelligence is an array of non-cognitive capabilities, competencies, and skills that influence one’s ability to succeed in coping with environmental demands and pressures.” (1997)
o Q-Metrics’ Definition: “Emotional Intelligence is the ability to sense, understand, and effectively apply the power and acumen of emotions as a source of human energy, information, trust, creativity and influence.” (2002
o Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves’ Definition: “Emotional Intelligence is your ability to recognize and understand emotions, and your skill at using this awareness to manage yourself and relationships with others.” (From The Emotional Intelligence Quickbook, 2003)
o Steve Hein’s Definition: “The mental ability we are born with which gives us our emotional sensitivity and our potential for emotional learning management skills which can help us maximize our long term health, happiness and survival.” (From EQ for Everybody, 1996); recently changed to: “Emotional intelligence is the innate potential to feel, use, communicate, recognize, remember, learn from, manage, and understand emotions.”