Do you have what it takes to succeed in your career?The secret of success is not what they taught you in school. What matters most is not IQ, not a business school degree, not even technical know-how or years of expertise. The single most important factor in job performance and advancement is emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence is actually a set of skills that anyone can acquire, and in this practical guide, Daniel Goleman identifies them, explains their importance, and shows how they can be fostered.For leaders, emotional intelligence is almost 90 percent of what sets stars apart from the mediocre. As Goleman documents, it's the essential ingredient for reaching and staying at the top in any field, even in high-tech careers. And organizations that learn to operate in emotionally intelligent ways are the companies that will remain vital and dynamic in the competitive marketplace of today--and the future.Comprehensively researched, crisply written, and packed with fascinating case histories of triumphs, disasters, and dramatic turnarounds, Working with Emotional Intelligence may be the most important business book you'll ever read.

So, You Want To Be a CEO?

Social Intelligence: The New Science of Human Relationships by Goleman, Daniel
The Emotional Intelligence Quick Book : Everything You Need to Know to Put Your EQ to Work by Lencioni, Patrick
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Covey, Stephen

ITS OK..nothing new
Daniel Goleman encountered many leaders of industry emphasizing the importance of emotional intelligence rather than technical expertise in excelling in their respective businesses. It is through his findings that he decided to write Working With Emotional Intelligence. In this book Goleman emphasizes that emotional intelligence is what makes one excel. The book challenges our preconceptions on the subject of EQ vs. IQ. The author suggests five competencies in which we can manage ourselves: 1. Self awareness (Emotional Awareness, self-assessment, self-confidence) 2. Self Regulation (Self-Control, Trustworthiness, adaptability, innovation) 3. Motivation (achievement driven, commitment, initiative, optimism) 4. Empathy (understanding others, developing others, service oriented, politically aware) 5. Social skills (influence, conflict management, leadership, catalyst building bonds, collaboration and cooperation, and team). He discusses the relationship between the five competencies of intelligence and the twenty-five emotional competencies. Here are a few of my favorite of the twenty-five emotional competencies (useful in GSA work): * Service orientation: Anticipating, recognizing, and meeting customers' needs. * Communication: Listening openly and sending convincing messages. * Emotional awareness: Recognizing one's emotions and their effects. * Understanding others: Sensing others' feelings, and perspectives, and taking an active interest in their concerns. * Adaptability: Flexibility in handling change. * Trustworthiness: Maintaining standards of honesty and integrity. * Collaboration and cooperation: Working with others toward shared goals. The author asserts that EQ is the critical competency for success even in highly technical fields such as medicine and engineering. This opened a discussion with my wife who happens to be Registered Nurse; also in graduate school study Anesthesia...we were on the same page. How often have we seen this demonstrated?... as those with less ability are promoted through the ranks because they are excellent politicians? According to Goleman, those were the correct placement decisions. In closing, one can save the price of this book by using common sense. Treating people with respect, listening to what the boss and others are saying, and doing your best to achieve the organization's goals can summarize this and several other popular management books. I liked what Dr Goleman was advocating about the importance of people skills: social radar, arts of influence, and collaboration and teams. Overall, I did not hate the book, but wasn't really wowed by it either.