HBR IdeaCast

4 Business Ideas That Changed the World: Emotional Intelligence

Oct 27, 2022

Daniel Goleman, a renowned psychologist and author, is joined by Susan David, a Harvard Medical School psychologist, and Andy Parks, a management professor. They explore the evolution of emotional intelligence from a neglected concept to a crucial leadership skill. Topics include the historical skepticism surrounding emotions in business, the contrast between EI and IQ, and the importance of emotional skills in fostering innovation. The guests advocate for integrating emotional intelligence training in workplaces for enhanced engagement and psychological safety.

45:20

Creator website

Episode guests

Andy Parks

Susan David, Ph.D

Daniel Goleman

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Quick takeaways

Emotional intelligence (EI) disrupted the traditional focus on physical productivity in business, challenging the belief that emotions were irrelevant in the workplace.

The recognition of emotional intelligence as a key skill for authentic and empathetic leadership has transformed the understanding of productivity and employee well-being.

Deep dives

Emotional intelligence challenges traditional business thinking

In the early 1990s, emotional intelligence (EI) disrupted the traditional focus on physical productivity in business. The concept, popularized by Daniel Gorman's book, challenged the belief that emotions were irrelevant in the workplace. EI, as defined by Peter Salivey and John Mayer, refers to the ability to identify and manage one's own emotions and the emotions of others. While critics question its measurement and teachability, EI has gained widespread recognition as a key skill for authentic and empathetic leadership. The concept has evolved, leading to a better understanding of emotions as functional and individual capacities that can be cultivated and enhanced throughout life.

The Importance of Emotional Intelligence

01:24

The Relevance of Emotional Intelligence in Business

02:52

The Types of Intelligence and Criticisms of the Term

01:34

Intro

3min

The Evolution of Emotional Intelligence in Business

13min

Emotional Intelligence vs. IQ: A Historical Perspective

10min

Measuring Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace

5min

The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Leadership and Innovation

2min

Navigating the Spectrum of Emotions: From Anger to Rage

2min

Unlocking Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace

13min

In the early 1990s, publishers told science journalist Daniel Goleman not to use the word “emotion” in a business book. The popular conception was that emotions had little role in the workplace. When HBR was founded in October 1922, the practice of management focused on workers’ physical productivity, not their feelings.

And while over the decades psychologists studied “social intelligence” and “emotional strength,” businesses cultivated the so-called hard skills that drove the bottom line. Until 1990, when psychologists Peter Salovey and John Mayer published their landmark journal article. It proposed “emotional intelligence” as the ability to identify and manage one’s own emotions as well as those of others.

Daniel Goleman popularized the idea in his 1995 book, and companies came to hire for “EI” and teach it. It’s now widely seen as a key ingredient in engaged teams, empathetic leadership, and inclusive organizations. However, critics question whether emotional intelligence operates can be meaningfully measured and contend that it acts as a catchall term for personality traits and values.

4 Business Ideas That Changed the World is a special series from HBR IdeaCast. Each week, an HBR editor talks to world-class scholars and experts on the most influential ideas of HBR’s first 100 years, such as disruptive innovation, shareholder value, and scientific management.

Discussing emotional intelligence with HBR executive editor Alison Beard are:

Daniel Goleman, psychologist and author of Emotional Intelligence
Susan David, psychologist at Harvard Medical School and author of Emotional Agility
Andy Parks, management professor at Central Washington University

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HBR IdeaCast

4 Business Ideas That Changed the World: Emotional Intelligence

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

Emotional intelligence challenges traditional business thinking

The historical neglect of emotions in business and management

Understanding emotional intelligence and its measurement

The future of emotional intelligence in professional and personal realms

The Importance of Emotional Intelligence

The Relevance of Emotional Intelligence in Business

The Types of Intelligence and Criticisms of the Term

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts