Emotional intelligence – A review and evaluation study

Abstract

This article reviews the literature on the subject of “emotional intelligence” (EQ) and attempts to pin-down and define this nebulous construct, using competency-based and personality factor scales. In an exploratory study, the reliability and construct and predictive validity of three scales were investigated. An EQ scale based on 16 relevant competencies showed highly promising reliability and validity. The results also showed the relevance of two other competency-based scales – intellectual intelligence (IQ) and managerial intelligence (MQ) – which both predicted organisational advancement. Taken together, however, the three scales had even higher validity. The overall results supported the view that EQ constructs can be measured more effectively by “performance analysis” than “classic paper and pencil tests”. In addition they provide support for the proposition that the combination of EQ and IQ is a more powerful predictor of “success” than either measure alone.