Emotions are central to human experience; recall that people are usually more emotional than rational. An offshoot of IQ is EQ (emotional quotient or emotional intelligence [EI]), which is clearly related to the adjustment Big Five personality dimension.

EI is all about working well with people. The good news is EI is a learned competence, so you can improve your EI by working at it. Let’s list and briefly explain EI components. EI is part of multiple intelligences. It has been said, “IQ gets you the job, EQ and I got a clue gets you promoted.”

Remember that what you think about affects how you feel, and how you feel affects your behavior, human relations, and performance. So think happy, confident thoughts to help you stay calm and in control of your emotional behavior. Also, visit the Consortium for Research on Emotional Intelligence in Organizations at www.eiconsortium.org for more information about EI.