Book Review: "Emotional Intelligence" by Daniel Goleman

Emotional Intelligence is the ability to understand and manage your emotions, and those of the people around you. The term "emotional intelligence" was popularised by American psychologist Mr. Daniel Goleman in his book on Emotional Intelligence. These days, it is gaining more importance and most companies now prefer to check the emotional quotient of the candidate before rolling out the offer letter. 90% of the top performers in any company—the competencies that differentiate the top performers—are in fact people with high levels of emotional intelligence.

The book speaks about the importance and need for emotional intelligence, its elements, and aspects. Emotional intelligence is, in fact, a review of oneself; it talks about recognizing your own behaviour and controlling your emotions, especially in the workplace. Recall the last time you were angry or grieving, and then think about how you managed those emotions. The rush of anger that forced you to explode or the rain of emotions that made you cry – the question here is how you recognised your reaction and what you did to make sure that you controlled it. That, in basic terms, is what we call emotional intelligence. 

There are five basic constituents of Emotional Intelligence – Self Awareness, Self-regulation, Motivation, Empathy, and Interpersonal Skills. Each of these elements has been covered extensively in the book. This focuses on how to understand and regulate oneself , find the strength to focus, and progress in one’s life.

It helps you to understand the working mechanisms of your brain, cognitive processes, reactions, emotions, and more. It also discusses various emotional problems and offers a way to handle and solve real life problems. Most importantly, it allows you to understand emotions, allowing you to adapt socially, demonstrate emotional intelligence and prevent problems before they occur. This book is your guide to conquering the heights of success and glory. It’s a highly recommended read for everyone seeking to discover themselves and master the art of emotional intelligence.

And yes, it doesn’t matter where you stand in terms of your emotional quotient, there’s always room for growth and improvement. There are indeed different ways of self-regulation, starting with the belief that every problem comes with an ideal solution.

Once you finish reading this book, make sure to take part in an EQ survey to understand your current EQ status. This would provide a much better understanding of your own emotions and reactions, which helps one to grow and progress emotionally. This would help to strengthen one’s strengths and overcome personal weaknesses. Emotional intelligence is in fact an art form, and mastering this piece would mean constant exercise towards bettering yourself.