“Early on in my career, I recognized that I was not always the smartest individual in the groups I worked in, but I had a driving fear of failure that caused me to always give 110% no matter what the task was. I would come in earlier, stay later and do whatever I could to create a better result….”
— David Sokol, “Pleased But Not Satisfied”

David Sokol, 53, is the chairman of Warren Buffet’s MidAmerican Energy Holdings and frequently mentioned as a possible future leader of the entire Buffet/Berkshire empire. As Sokol makes clear, a well developed EQ (emotional intelligence) is often more important that raw IQ.

All these EQ attributes are far more vital to success than raw IQ: Our ability to
– focus our talents
– practice, practice, practice
– harness our desires
– discipline our drives
– be a life-long learner
– preserve and persist
– relentlessly prepare
– summon our best at will
– manage our moods.

The wonderful thing about EQ is that, unlike IQ, you can, by work and diligent effort, significantly improve your level of emotional regulation, meaningfully raise your EQ.

Closing Quotes:

“It is very important to understand that emotional intelligence is not the opposite of intelligence, it is not the triumph of heart over head–it is the unique intersection of both.” — David Caruso, “Emotional What?”

“Emotional intelligence is a way of recognizing, understanding, and choosing how we think, feel, and act. It shapes our interactions with others and our understanding of ourselves. Research suggests it is responsible for as much as 80% of the ‘success’ in our lives.” — Freedman et al, “Handle With Care: Emotional Intelligence Activity Book”

“If your emotional abilities aren’t in hand, if you don’t have self-awareness, if you are not able to manage your distressing emotions, if you can’t have empathy and have effective relationships, then no matter how smart you are, you are not going to get very far.“ — Daniel Goleman