Emotional intelligence: Not just for leaders

Goleman1 popularized the concept of emotional intelligence, specifically as it applies to leadership, in the now classic article “What Makes a Leader?” He described five components of emotional intelligence: self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skill. He demonstrated that emotional intelligence was the essential ingredient of great leadership by analyzing 188 companies to determine the key driver of excellent performance. Goleman found that emotional intelligence was twice as important as technical skills and IQ for leaders at all levels. In 90% of cases, the difference between star performers and other leaders was in their emotional intelligence abilities. Whether emotional intelligence is innate or is something that can be learned has long been a topic of debate.1 In this issue of AJHP, Hall et al.2 report the results of a study of the effect of ASHP Research and Education Foundation Pharmacy Leadership Academy (PLA) training on the emotional intelligence of program participants; this was the first quantitative assessment of emotional intelligence in pharmacy leaders. The study compared the emotional intelligence of PLA graduates and pharmacists just starting the program using the Emotional Quotient Inventory, version 2.0 (EQ-i 2.0), which assesses emotional intelligence in five domains: self- perception, self-expression, interpersonal skills, decision-making, and stress management. While both groups had midrange EQ-i 2.0 scores, PLA graduates had a significantly higher mean score than new participants, implying that emotional intelligence can be increased.