In 1995, Goleman put his finger on a truth that we all intuitively know: Just because you’re “school smart” or have a high IQ doesn’t mean that you have the tools to achieve your professional and personal goals. The real key lies in “emotional intelligence,” a concept that’s now so widespread that we sometimes forget it wasn’t always a part of our lexicon. Being emotionally intelligent includes being able to motivate yourself, control your impulses and empathize with others and the good news is that it’s never too late to learn. Goleman’s book is still the gold standard in outlining the qualities we need to nurture, with thoughts on how to begin doing that, both at home and at work.
— Dawn Raffel