IQ versus EQ

All are familiar with the term IQ (Intelligent Quotient) which has become so much of public parlance that the term is greatly distorted and many a times used as malicious abuse that such and such person has no IQ (Akal). On a scientific note, IQ is the measure of cognitive abilities, such as the ability to learn, to understand, to think rationally and to deal with new situations. A person's IQ greatly predicts what he shall make out of life. So far so good.
But Psychologists have lately been focusing attention on EQ (Emotional Quotient) which is a measure of your emotional intelligence, or your ability to use both your emotions and cognitive skills in your life. The Greek Philosopher Aristotle had a recipe for handling relationships smoothly. You must be able; he said “to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose, and in the right way”. Psychologists call such self-control “Emotional Intelligence”. It is a major element of satisfying life.
Emotional Intelligence refers to a combination of skills. These include empathy, self-control, self-awareness, sensitivity to the feelings of others, persistence, self-motivation, intuition, creativity, flexibility, resilience, coping, stress management, leadership, integrity, authenticity, intrapersonal skills and interpersonal skills and above all, ability to maintain hope and an optimistic outlook in the face of disappointments and difficulties - all those traits that are prerequisites to make success in life.
People who excel in life tend to be emotionally intelligent. On the other hand, the costs of poor emotional skills can be high. They range from the problems in social life to poor physical health. A lack of emotional intelligence can ruin careers and sabotage achievement. Perhaps the greatest toll falls on children and teenagers. For them, poor emotional skills can contribute to depression, eating problems, unwanted pregnancy, aggression, and violent crime.
Recent research shows that your emotional quotient (EQ) might be a better predictor of success than your intellectual quotient (IQ), despite an assumption that people with high IQs will naturally accomplish more in life. People with higher EQ are more likely to do well in life as it defines how good one feels about oneself and how tuned they are to themselves. If you are on a ride of high self-esteem then you will be more likely to perform better than others suffering lowered self-esteem. As simple as that! Sometimes it has been seen that individuals with higher EQ and not higher IQ necessarily make more success in their lives in comparison to individuals who have higher IQ but lower EQ. It may be because EQ prepares a person to lead his peers, take decisions and nurture better relationships.
Moreover, unlike IQ, your emotional quotient is not an inborn trait rather is a skill that can be taught and facilitated in individuals who deviate significantly from the norm in their intellectual intelligence (IQ). Sometimes it is found that highly intelligent children can not develop bonds with their peers and may feel left out from the group. As a result, such children may enter their adulthood with weak self-esteem and defensive behavior designed to ward off uncomfortable and unrewarding personal interactions. Loneliness and feelings of isolation are common features of highly gifted people who have not been taught to bridge the emotional and social gulf between themselves and the majority population. Thus EQ is much more imporatnt for success in life rather than IQ and the best part is that EQ can be fostered. With proper nurturing of EQ, gifted children can be brought into mainstream while children with lower IQs be fostered with abilities to march ahead in life.
Despite EQ being a more reliable predictor of academic achievement than is the IQ and can be learned, yet, it is neglected in our education both at home and at school to the peril of young students. Thus, need of the hour is to make it integral part of curriculum since in today’s consumerist world, children often seem to lack the ability to empathize, negotiate and cooperate, and also suffer from lack of optimism and feel hopeless about the future due to the demands and pressures that pull them in various directions. This void has potentially negative consequences, first on their academic achievement and second on their interpersonal relationships which ultimately have dire consequences with regard to their psychosocial development and lead to behavior problems, alienation, and even aggression and violence. Hence, inclusion of nurturing EQ in education is important so that these young children grow up into confident adults.