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5 Skills to Help You Develop Emotional Intelligence
Article

5 Skills to Help You Develop Emotional Intelligence

Mark Manson, 2019

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Editorial Rating

7

Qualities

  • Concrete Examples
  • Engaging
  • Inspiring

Recommendation

Self-help author Mark Manson doesn’t sugarcoat things. Sometimes the most intelligent and accomplished people do things that are downright dumb – like the astronaut arrested while clumsily attempting to kidnap her boyfriend’s alleged lover. Manson uses this example to illustrate the difference between general intelligence (IQ) and emotional intelligence (EQ). Luckily, if you’re low on EQ, you can do a lot to improve your score – and Manson’s short roadmap provides you with a starting point.

Summary

Traditional measurements of general intelligence (IQ) fail to take into account that people’s ability to make sound life decisions doesn’t exclusively depend on how well they can process data. In the 1980s and 1990s, psychologists developed the concept of emotional intelligence (EQ) to measure people’s capacity to handle their emotions and personal relationships. While IQ scores remain largely stable over a person’s lifetime, everyone can put in the effort to boost their emotional intelligence. To strengthen your EQ muscle, work on yourself in five areas:

About the Author

Mark Manson is a New York–based blogger, author and entrepreneur. 


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