Emotional intelligence (EI) is an interpersonal capability that includes the ability to perceive and express emotions, to understand and use them, and to manage emotions in oneself and other people.

Expert Daniel Goleman defines emotional intelligence as the capacity for recognizing our own feelings and those of others, for motivating ourselves, and for managing emotions well in ourselves and in our relationships. He describes five dimensions of EI that include three personal competencies (self-awareness, self-regulation, and motivation) and two social competencies (empathy and social skills). (Griffin et.al. ch. 3)

I share the view that building and maintaining high performing work groups requires a great deal of attention to the effects of emotions in the workplace. Some organizations are basing hiring and promoting decisions on EI, and it is considered as important to professional success as other abilities such as technical skills. Also, EI is valued as a foundation for emotion-focused coping strategies for handling stress.

After reading the textbook and reading and reflecting on the supplemental resources, you should have a deeper and richer understanding of emotional intelligence. In light of that, respond to the following.

While emotional intelligence is considered an important and desirable quality in leaders and followers, is there a dark side? Might someone with high emotional intelligence take advantage of others? Discuss two ways in which emotional intelligence may be used in unscrupulous or unethical ways. And, on the other side of unscrupulous or unethical practices; discuss two ways one might use one or more of the five dimensions of EI to avoid being taken advantage of by people or organizations?