What’s the Difference Between IQ and EQ?

Most people have heard of emotional intelligence or EQ, but many

don’t understand how important it is to their happiness and success.
Due to the advancements in neuroscience, we now know that we can
change our lives for the better by developing a stronger EQ.

But where does that leave IQ, the old standard? And what’s the
difference between EQ and IQ? Let’s take a look at what each of these
terms means.

What is IQ?

Each person has a personal intelligence quotient, which is a number

that is produced via a test that measures your cognitive intelligence.
You probably took one of these during your early elementary school
days. The text shows how well your mind stores, processes, and
utilizes information. That means if you are adept at absorbing
knowledge and putting it into practice, you’ll score highly on the IQ
test. Your IQ is not malleable. It doesn’t change throughout your
lifetime.

What is EQ?

On the other hand, emotional intelligence, as the name suggests, is

how you take charge of your emotions and how you work with the
emotions of others. It combines a variety of different aspects, like
being self-aware, being able to control your own emotions, managing
how you react to difficult and stressful situations, being able to
identify other people’s emotions during interactions, and being able to
communicate effectively with others who are different from you.

Many experts now believe that EQ is even more important for success
in our careers than IQ. But if you fear you weren’t born with a high EQ,
don’t worry. Unlike IQ, we can cultivate EQ by becoming more self-
aware and changing our thinking and actions.
If you aren’t sure if you have a high EQ, ask yourself if you easily can
do these things:

• Listen actively
• Recognize and work with other people’s feelings to create
positive change
• Acknowledge different opinions, beliefs, and experiences
• Stay aware of your emotions, even when they are difficult or
uncomfortable
• Remain calm and respond to difficult situations, rather than
(over)react
• Forge strong, meaningful working relationships

Clearly having a vast amount of knowledge and being able to put it to

good use is incredibly useful. At the same time, being aware of your
emotions and working with them even when it’s difficult and
collaborating well with others is also vital to success in the workplace.
If you want to get ahead in your business or career, the smartest thing
to do is develop your EQ. By doing so, you will notice your work
relationships going smoother and your network connections getting
stronger. This can only help you get ahead both in the office and in
life.