Emotional intelligence can matter more than IQ

Dr Dorrian Aiken explains Emotional Intelligence and how to develop and manage it to benefit our inter personal relationships

According to Dr Dorrian Aiken, part-time lecturer at the University of Stellenbosch Business School, EQ is considered to be more important than IQ in leadership, management , parenting and teaching "because emotions are contagious".

She says one person can influence the well-being of others by behaving in a way that causes them to become demotivated.

How we influence one another through our emotional intelligence and through our positivity is really important

Dr Dorrian Aiken, part-time lecturer at the University of Stellenbosch Business School

Dr Aiken says some evidence suggest that human beings are born with empathy, and we are compassionate beings, but we are also influenced by our environment.

She says some people are born with high emotional intelligence and for others it needs to be learned. It is "a bit of nurture and a bit nature", she says.

If our environment is supportive and encouraging, it enhances our ability to develop our own emotional intelligence.

Dr Dorrian Aiken, part-time lecturer at the University of Stellenbosch Business School

She says we often hear people saying "oh don't be so emotional". If we cant process our emotions we simply cannot be rational, she says.

Having access to your emotions, knowing what you feeling, and why it is part of being rational, clear and coherent

Dr Dorrian Aiken, part-time lecturer at the University of Stellenbosch Business School

Listen to the full conversation below: