Intro.
Finishing my last post, the intention was to write, “the women in my life,” that has been more difficult then I anticipated, however, it will be written.
My next two posts will, in some ways, explain my thought pattern in previous posts. I did post them on “Linked In” and am reposting on this site. The posting is in two parts, today is part one.
This will explain the importance of EQ and IQ together.
Why This Topic?
A few days ago I was having coffee with my son, who is a realtor. He mentioned how important EQ is in selling real estate. We had a discussion on the topic and our views were somewhat similar. I did agree with his thinking, but felt inclined to give it more thought, especially in light of some things I have been reading in the business section of the news of late.
This brings me to some news articles I have read lately.
A major technology company has developed an algorithm they use and are selling to other companies. This algorithm can show, with ninety-five per cent accuracy, what employees will be working with the company twelve months hence. For employee retention it allows the company to be proactive. This algorithm was developed from their experience with previous employees.
My thinking, what about creativity? If the future can be ninety-five per cent accurate, based on the past.
A major technology company that has spread its wings significantly, over the years, has purchased over seventy companies. My thinking, they are purchasing creativity. Why?
An innovative technology company has developed an AI program for writing advertising copy. A major American bank has just signed a five year contract to use this program, to write most of their copyright, because in market surveys, they found copy written by AI was much more effective than the human production. AI created by the human brain can be more productive than the human brain. Why?
EQ.
This brings me back to the discussion with my son. I decided to do some quick research on EQ, and as you know, with Google, research is not necessarily time consuming.
“Emotional Quotient is the capability of individuals to recognize their emotions, and those of others, discern between different feelings and label them appropriately, use emotional information to guide thinking and behaviour, and manage or adjust emotions to adapt to environments or achieve ones goals.” (Wikipedia)
It appears that emotional quotient or emotional intelligence first came to the forefront in 1964 through a paper written by Michael Beldoch, though I am sure there was emotional intelligence long before.
Daniel Goleman brought EI more to the forefront in 1995, by a book he wrote, by that title. EI and Goleman’s analysis have been criticized in the scientific community. I have not read the book, but the criticism from the scientific community does not surprise me.
Emotions are personal and so often deals with ones experiences. This would be considered “Anecdotal Evidence” and science, for the most part, does not accept that type of evidence.
What caught my attention was a book written in 1983 by Howard Gardner entitled “Frame of Minds: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences.” Again, I have not read the book, but what caught my attention was “Intrapersonal Intelligences” the capacity to understand one’s feelings, fears and motivations. That has been the thrust of my writings in my blog ” I don’t have the answer,” tagline, “but you do,” it is about knowing and appreciating yourself.
Every person is unique and special, you have to find it, to really enjoy oneself and life in general.
I also found that Howard Gardner among other things defined “Kinesthetic Intelligence” which you could call hands on experience.
I never was good at storing facts, but if I had a passion for what I was learning and understood and could apply it, I could hold my own with anyone. One of my sons had a similar situation. In elementary school he was considered a slow learner, teachers wanted to put him in a slow learner class. We would not agree to that, perhaps because of my own experience with school, especially math. My wife and I did not understand Kinesthetic Intelligence at that point, but we knew our son could learn. We worked with him at home to get through his grades.
Later in life, when he worked at something he enjoyed and understood, he found he could excel, but the teachers did have a negative impact early in his life. He found out for himself that he could excel, if what he was doing made sense.
IQ.
IQ is more accepted in society, how intelligent a person is, this will determine how far they will go in life, believe it or not. Society is a worshipper of knowledge.
When I was in school, that was a long time ago, I had a problem with math, I enjoyed math, but come exam time, it was difficult, to the point, in sixth grade I failed. I was supposed to repeat the grade because math was compulsory, my mother intervened and the teacher allowed me to go to the seventy grade, if I took an IQ test, to supposedly determine if I was capable of passing. I did very well on the IQ test.
Wit the acceptable IQ, I still failed seventy grade math. This time I had to repeat.
My mother intervened again, this time I had to change schools and had a different teacher who promoted me to the eighth grade. He took the time to determine if I had a good foundation, I didn’t, he got to the basics and made certain I had a good foundation.
That year in the eighth grade I passed, with a score of 100%. It may be a long time ago, but now you know why I never forgot that mark, it may have been the only time I got 100% on an exam.
An article by Phil Cooke entitled “Why are the ignorant so confident?” went on to say, we’ve all met them–people who are abysmally wrong and yet incredibly confident. He mentions an article in the Pacific Standard magazine written by David Dunning on research into why we are confident idiots.
Also, seven lessons about human ignorance from David Dunning’s Reddit AMA. David Dunning of Dunning-Kruger effect fame, discussing his article on competence, moral character and self-deception. In his own words, “I ask how close people’s perception of themselves adhere to the reality of who they are. The general answer is: not very close.”
A “perception” is exactly that, a perception relies on our sensory powers, which are all relevant to someone or something other than ourselves. In effect we are allowing outside forces to determine for us, who we are, what we do and what we think. It is little wonder the answer to how well we know ourselves in “not very close.”
Summation.
My purpose is not to put either EI or IQ on a pedestal or on trial, but to point out some thoughts from different psychologists and the news media, about those two important subjects.
EQ and IQ need to be balanced. EQ only, can be devastating and painful. IQ only, makes us robotic, and makes us replaceable. Think about the copyright example, where the robot is more productive than the human brain.
The second part of this posting, “Why not both?” is what I found to be a balance between the two, a happy balanced person.
I don't have the answer 