Everyone must have heard about the Intelligence quotient (IQ), some people often brag about it when they have a higher IQ than others.

Intelligence quotient is the ability of human beings to reason and solve problems. Anyone can know their IQ score by taking certain tests.

Emotional Intelligence is similar in its approach, but yet different.

Also known as an Emotional Quotient (EQ) or EI, it is the ability of a person to recognize, control, and assess their emotions.

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One can then also understand, interpret and accurately respond to another person’s emotions. It is as important as IQ because it not only helps in building strong and healthy relationships with others but also makes us use our emotions in positive ways.

Let us explain to you, what exactly do we mean by emotional intelligence through some examples.

Take for instance, in your workplace, you notice one of your co-workers being distracted or having low spirits, what would you do?

You will in all probability approach him and try to empathize with him and try to understand his situation in the most humane manner possible. You will display the apt emotion necessary to handle the situation.

Thus, if one asks to define emotional intelligence one could sum it up in a single sentence: “Expressing the right emotion at the right moment.”

A thing to take note of is that the emotional intelligence of a person can be improved with time and through experiences also.

best books on emotional intelligence

There are several authors who have written books on emotional intelligence. So, here we have made a list of the 10 best books on emotional intelligence.

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List of 15 Best Books on Emotional Intelligence

1. The Language of Emotional Intelligence: The Five Essential Tools for Building Powerful and Effective Relationships

– by Jeanne Segal

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The Language of Emotional Intelligence: The Five Essential Tools for Building Powerful and Effective Relationships by Jeanne Segal

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The Language of Emotional Intelligence: The Five Essential Tools for Building Powerful and Effective Relationships by Jeanne Segal — An expert in the field of emotional intelligence and communication, the writer, Jeanne Segal has written this book-cum-guide. She clearly explains the process of how to incorporate the five basic tools of emotional intelligence, which are self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills to enhance our relationships with others whether it is at home, workplace, or other areas.

The information and insights in this book will for sure be a valuable addition to your knowledge base.


2. Building Emotional Intelligence

– by Linda Lantieri

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Building Emotional Intelligence by Linda Lantieri

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Building Emotional Intelligence by Linda Lantieri — Educator Linda Lantieri along with the help of a famous psychologist Daniel Goleman has written this step-by-step guide for the audience, especially focusing it on children. The book provides a number of ways and techniques on how to calm our mind and body and manage our emotions skillfully.

All in all, the main purpose of the writer through this work is to help children increase their self-esteem, improve their concentration and awareness, and strengthen empathy and communication.


3. The EQ Difference: A Powerful Plan for Putting Emotional Intelligence to Work

– by Adele B. Lynn

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The EQ Difference: A Powerful Plan for Putting Emotional Intelligence to Work by Adele B. Lynn

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The EQ Difference: A Powerful Plan for Putting Emotional Intelligence to Work by Adele B. Lynn — This self-guide is filled with practical advice and suggestions that will help in developing your Emotional quotient more. It includes a number of self-assessment tools and has various team-focused exercises that aim to increase emotional intelligence in individuals and groups. This book focuses more on the emotional intelligence required in the workplace, therefore it explains with examples like letters to leaders and performance reviews.

To sum up, “The EQ Difference” is a great way to check or ensure that an organization is achieving greater productivity, better employee retention, and high morale.


4. The Leader’s Guide to Emotional Intelligence

-by Drew Bird

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The Leader’s Guide to Emotional Intelligence by Drew Bird

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The Leader’s Guide to Emotional Intelligence by Drew Bird — The author of this book is a leading practitioner. He has coached leaders throughout his life. He uses his experience to share his learnings and reveals that effective changes can be observed after one understands and develops his emotional intelligence. He believes that every person has different core values and beliefs that affect his leadership behavior.

Drew Bird explains the EQ 1-2-3 process very precisely to help his readers start their emotional intelligence development plan. This is one of the best book guides for a leader.


5. Primal Leadership: Unleashing the Power of Emotional Intelligence

– by Daniel Goleman, Richard Boyatzis and Annie McKee

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Primal Leadership: Unleashing the Power of Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman, Richard Boyatzis, and Annie McKee

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Primal Leadership: Unleashing the Power of Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman, Richard Boyatzis, and Annie McKee — The book focuses mainly on leadership development, therefore the information in it will be more relevant to people in charge of companies or teams. The three authors together arrive at six styles, which are: Visionary, Affiliative, Democratic, Coaching, Commanding, and Pacesetting. They have cited academic research to explain certain concepts, for example, in some parts of the book they used research finding to show the connection between Emotional Intelligence and some leadership behaviors.

To conclude, it is a great pick for those who want to use Emotional Intelligence, understanding along with their leadership experience to further develop certain key skills.


6. Emotional Intelligence 2.0 Book 

– by Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves

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Emotional Intelligence 2.0 Book by Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves

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Emotional Intelligence 2.0 Book by Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves — One of the most famous books on the topic of Emotional Intelligence written by the two authors. Cofounders of EQ assessment providers TalentSmart, Travis Bradberry, and Jean Greaves provide answers to common EI research questions. The book has dozens of strategies to build EQ in the areas of self-awareness, self-management, relationship management, and social awareness. If a person lacks in any of the above areas, they could follow the guidance given by both the authors.

After remembering the tips and suggestions from the book, one could make their own Emotional Intelligence action plan for the coming future.


7. Emotional Intelligence For Dummies

– by Steven Stein

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Emotional Intelligence For Dummies by Steven Stein

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Emotional Intelligence For Dummies by Steven Stein — A perfect choice for all those who are not well aware of Emotional Intelligence. The book has a total of 19 chapters that includes several anecdotes to make EI more simple and relatable for the readers. It explains certain techniques through which people can develop their Emotional Quotient and create better interpersonal relationships. Emotional Intelligence for Dummies also covers topics like how emotional intelligence can be used at home and workplace as well.

Steven Stein has identified signs that a person with low Emotional Intelligence is likely to show and also provides a solution to develop it.


8. Working with Emotional Intelligence

– by Daniel Goleman

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Working with Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman

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Working with Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman — As the name of the book suggests, Daniel Goleman specifically focuses more on how Emotional Quotient can be used in the sphere of work. Since it talks about the professional sector, managers, leaders and the collective organization can benefit from this book a lot. Working with Emotional Intelligence is divided into five chapters, each containing some anecdotes and case scenarios that are mainly related to a functioning organization.

At the end of the book, the author touches upon how stress, impulse control, and hormones are interconnected.


9. Emotional Intelligence: A 21-Day Step by Step Guide to Mastering Social Skills, Improve Your Relationships, and Boost Your EQ

– by David Clark

Emotional Intelligence: A 21-Day Step by Step Guide to Mastering Social Skills, Improve Your Relationships, and Boost Your EQ by David Clark

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Emotional Intelligence: A 21-Day Step by Step Guide to Mastering Social Skills, Improve Your Relationships, and Boost Your EQ by David Clark — This particular book is also available as an audiobook, so those who are not avid readers can easily listen to its contents. David Clark talks about the personal and professional benefits of Emotional Intelligence. His explanations are easy to understand, one can grasp the fundamental ideas right away.

This 21-day step-by-step guide makes the readers realize and understand the link between Emotional Intelligence and social relationships.


10. Emotional Intelligence For Sales Success: Connect with Customers and Get Results

– by Colleen Stanley

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Emotional Intelligence For Sales Success: Connect with Customers and Get Results by Colleen Stanley

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Emotional Intelligence For Sales Success: Connect with Customers and Get Results by Colleen Stanley — As a professional sales trainer, Colleen Stanley believes that for salespeople, Emotional Intelligence plays an important role to help them understand, meet and connect with different decision-makers. The author covers the topic of the sales problem that in turn leads to difficulty in the management of emotions and poses various challenges.

Thus, she ends with a remark that emotional intelligence is important in all phases of sales and offers some tips and suggestions to strengthen it.


11. Becoming a Resonant Leader: Develop Your Emotional Intelligence, Renew Your Relationships, Sustain Your Effectiveness

– by Annie McKee, Richard Boyatzis, and Teleos Frances Johnston

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Becoming a Resonant Leader: Develop Your Emotional Intelligence, Renew Your Relationships, Sustain Your Effectiveness by Annie McKee, Richard Boyatzis, and Teleos Frances Johnston

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Becoming a Resonant Leader: Develop Your Emotional Intelligence, Renew Your Relationships, Sustain Your Effectiveness by Annie McKee, Richard Boyatzis, and Teleos Frances Johnston — The book solely focuses on executives and how they can develop their emotional intelligence to benefit themselves in the long run. The three authors together come up with an idea of ‘resonance’ and argue that the same helps leaders to manage their team’s emotional content.

The book makes a strong point that leaders who use their emotional intelligence are able to build better relationships with their co-workers and hence create an optimal environment at the workplace. There are several interactive exercises in it and also some guidance on how to view things from different perspectives.


12. The EQ Edge: Emotional Intelligence and Your Success

– by Howard E. Book and Steven J. Stein

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The EQ Edge: Emotional Intelligence and Your Success by Howard E. Book and Steven J. Stein

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The EQ Edge: Emotional Intelligence and Your Success by Howard E. Book and Steven J. Stein — Read this book by Howard E. Book and Steven J. Stein if you want to know how Emotional Intelligence works. After understanding what an Emotional Quotient is and working towards developing it further, you can notice the following changes within you such as, a boost in confidence, staying optimistic, responding to challenges with enthusiasm, and lastly, you will be able to form better and meaningful relationships.

You will be surprised to know about the insights into EQ and the workplace. For example, a manager after reading this book will be able to more easily determine which personnel is best suited for a certain kind of job opportunity. Thus, a good EQ can become the reason for your success.


13. The Emotional Intelligence Quick Book

– by Jean Greaves and Travis Bradberry

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The Emotional Intelligence Quick Book by Jean Greaves, and Travis Bradberry

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The Emotional Intelligence Quick Book by Jean Greaves, and Travis Bradberry — One of the simplest guides that focuses on the importance of emotional intelligence and details out the ways and techniques by which one can even develop them more. The authors state that having a good Emotional Quotient will be very beneficial, not only at one’s workplace but will also show positive changes in their personal and social life.

The book makes the emotional quotient practical and easy to apply in our daily lives through certain suggested activities.


14. Go Suck a Lemon: Strategies for Improving Your Emotional Intelligence

– by Michael Cornwall

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Go Suck a Lemon: Strategies for Improving Your Emotional Intelligence by Michael Cornwall

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Go Suck a Lemon: Strategies for Improving Your Emotional Intelligence by Michael Cornwall — Many believe that Emotional Intelligence is inborn whereas others believe that it can be developed with time. Michael Cornwall describes Emotional Intelligence as a way how we perceive things and express them accordingly using our emotions in different circumstances. He, through this book, gives hope to readers that they can improve and strengthen their emotional intelligence with the help of cognitive skill techniques.

This not only helps readers to have a better sense of feeling for themselves but also teaches about how to react to certain behaviors of others.


15. HBR’s 10 Must Reads on Emotional Intelligence

– by Annie McKee, Daniel Goleman and Richard E. Boyatzis

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HBR’s 10 Must Reads on Emotional Intelligence by Annie McKee, Daniel Goleman, and Richard E. Boyatzis

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HBR’s 10 Must Reads on Emotional Intelligence by Annie McKee, Daniel Goleman, and Richard E. Boyatzis — The book contains 10 best articles from the Harvard Business Review archive that will help in boosting reader’s emotional skills and also a professional success. The articles inside inspire us to monitor our emotions, understand our plus points and weaknesses, make smart decisions by being empathetic, manage conflicts, show resilience, and lastly develop emotional agility.

Therefore, those looking for a quick yet meaningful read should definitely select this one.

By now you must have formed your own idea of emotional intelligence, and how you would work towards it. But, let’s not forget and be always aware of the fact that having a good or high emotional quotient is not as easy as you might think.

Instead, it would mean you need to prepare yourself mentally and be ready to function well emotionally in different parts of your lives. If you are able to successfully do that then you are bound to be surrounded by an optimistic aura.


Conclusion

In this article, we have covered some best selling books on Emotional Intelligence.

These books are sure to make you a different person altogether.

These books will increase your knowledge of Emotional Intelligence. You can utilize the teachings of these books in your personal and professional lives.

You can visit Wikipedia to get a detailed information on Emotional Intelligence.

We hope you have found this article on 15 Best Books on Emotional Intelligence very helpful in selecting the right book for yourself.

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