Emotional intelligence Emotional intelligence is the quality that enables us to confront with patience, insight, and imagination the many problems that we face in our effective relationship with ourselves, and with other people. The term ' emotional intelligence' may sound odd; we used to referring to intelligence just as a general quality, without unpicking a particular variety a person might possess, and therefore we don't tend to highlight the value of a distinctive sort of intelligence which currently does not enjoy the prestige it should. Every sort of intelligence signals an ability to to navigate well around a particular set of challenges: mathematical, linguistic, technical, or commercial. When we say that someone is clever, but add that they've made a mess of their personal lives, or they've acquired a fortune, but are restless and sad, or that they are powerful, but intolerant and unimaginative, we are pointing to a deficit in what deserves to be cal...