What is Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence is emerging as one of the most important qualities to look for in the modern job candidate. Emotional intelligence refers to a person’s ability to understand emotions and to use them productively. In the workplace, emotional intelligence can help us collaborate with others, understand how others are feeling, and influence and inspire people.

Emotional intelligence tests measure this ability, and research has found strong correlations between EI and important organizational behaviors, including leadership, job performance, commitment, job attitudes, stress, well-being, and teamwork. As a result, organizations typically use emotional intelligence assessments for roles that involve heavy interaction with other people, including customer service, leadership, or roles that involve a lot of teamwork.