Why Is Emotional Intelligence Important?

Everyone tells you to work on your CV. Get top marks. Build a solid LinkedIn. But let’s talk about something no one really explains—how you handle people. Whether it’s group work, job interviews, awkward family chats, or tense work emails, how you react emotionally makes a difference. And that’s where emotional intelligence comes in.

So, why is emotional intelligence important? Because grades and skills might get you through the door, but emotional intelligence helps you stay in the room. It affects how well you lead, how you deal with stress, how you handle tough feedback, and how people feel when they work with you. Sounds soft? It’s not. It’s the glue that holds communication, teamwork, and leadership together.

Let’s break it down—and keep it real.

What Is Emotional Intelligence, Really?

It’s not about being too emotional. And it’s definitely not about smiling through everything. Emotional intelligence (or EQ) is how well you understand and handle emotions—your own and other people’s.

Think about it like this:

• Can you tell when you’re about to lose it?
• Can you spot when someone else feels off, even if they don’t say it?
• Could you stop yourself from reacting badly when something goes wrong?

If yes, you’re already using EQ. If not, that’s okay. It’s a skill, and like any other skill, you can build it.

Why Is Emotional Intelligence Important in Everyday Life?

Let’s make this simple. EQ helps you with the stuff you deal with every day. Here’s how:

1. You stop making bad choices just because you’re stressed.

We all make strange decisions when we’re in a bad mood. EQ helps you notice the mood first. That pause changes everything.

2. You don’t take things so personally.

Someone snaps at you? You don’t assume it’s your fault. You see that maybe they’ve had a hard day. That saves a lot of energy.

3. You bounce back quicker.

Life gets messy. You won’t avoid every tough moment. But EQ helps you get back on track faster—and with less trouble.

4. You build stronger relationships.

Friends. Partners. Flatmates. Colleagues. EQ helps you listen better, understand tension, and avoid saying the wrong thing at the worst time.

5. You lead without acting like a bossy nightmare.

Leadership isn’t about shouting orders. It’s about making people feel safe, clear, and ready to do their best. That’s all emotional intelligence.

The Four Pillars of Emotional Intelligence (Without the Buzzwords)

Most experts split EQ into four parts. Let’s run through them quickly, minus the fancy talk.

1. Self-Awareness

This is knowing what’s going on in your head. Can you tell when you’re worried, angry, or overloaded? Or do you only notice after you’ve already snapped?

People with strong self-awareness don’t just feel things—they name them. That gives them more control.

2. Self-Regulation

This is what happens next. Can you press pause before reacting? Can you calm down before hitting send on that angry email?

Self-regulation isn’t about keeping it all inside. It’s about choosing when and how to respond.

3. Social Awareness

This is spotting what other people are feeling. That includes reading tone, body language, or the odd silence in the room.

It’s knowing when someone needs space, or when they want help but won’t ask.

4. Relationship Management

This is how you deal with people over time. Do you keep promises? Do you have hard chats without turning it into a full fight?

It’s all about trust, respect, and communication that doesn’t feel bad.

How Emotional Intelligence Shows Up at Uni

Let’s say you’re doing a group project. One person doesn’t show up. Another person takes over. Everyone’s quietly annoyed, but no one says anything.

You could:

• Ignore it and let it get worse later
• Snap and make it weird
• Handle it with EQ: ask questions, set some clear rules, and keep the mood calm

Same goes for feedback. If a tutor says your work isn’t strong, do you panic? Get defensive? Or take a breath, ask what to improve, and actually use it?

Students with EQ don’t avoid hard stuff. They handle it better. That’s the difference.

Why Is Emotional Intelligence Important at Work?

When you get into the world of work, EQ isn’t just helpful—it’s needed. People hire for skills, but promote for people skills. Managers want someone who can fix problems without adding trouble. Someone who can take feedback and not fall apart. Someone who can work with others without making every meeting a battle.

Here’s what EQ does at work:

• Helps you stay calm during pressure
• Lets you read a room in meetings
• Makes you the kind of person people trust

And when things go wrong—which they always do—you don’t panic. You respond. That’s a big deal.

EQ Doesn’t Mean You Never Struggle

Let’s be clear. High EQ doesn’t mean you’re calm all the time. You’ll still have bad days. You’ll still say things you wish you hadn’t.

But here’s the difference: you notice it. You own it. And you fix it.

That’s what people remember. Not whether you made a mistake, but how you handled it.

You Don’t Need to Be “Naturally Good” at This

EQ isn’t like eye colour. It’s not something you’re born with and stuck with. You build it over time. Little things help:

• Think about what annoyed you today, and why
• Ask friends for honest feedback about how you come across
• Practice pausing before you react
• Watch body language—yours and other people’s

No one’s perfect at this. But if you keep learning, you’ll get better. And that’ll show in everything you do.

So, Is EQ More Important Than IQ?

Here’s the honest answer: they’re both useful. But in a lot of real-life moments, EQ wins.

Why? Because:

• People don’t follow the smartest person—they follow the one who makes them feel safe
• Conflict doesn’t get fixed by logic alone—it takes emotional skill
• Success isn’t just knowledge—it’s how you use it with others

The smartest person in the room won’t get far if no one wants to work with them.

Why Is Emotional Intelligence Important for the Future?

AI is growing. Jobs are changing. More tasks are done by machines. But emotions, kindness, and real connection? Those are still very human.

EQ is what robots can’t do. It’s what makes you valuable in any role, in any team, and in any problem.

The future belongs to people who can learn, adapt, and connect. Emotional intelligence is right at the centre of that.

So What Now?

Start small. Watch your own reactions. Practice naming your feelings. Ask someone how they’re doing—and really mean it. Think when something goes wrong instead of just blaming.

These aren’t big, showy changes. But they build emotional intelligence. And over time, they shape how you move through the world.

You’ll work better. Communicate better. Live better.

EQ Isn’t Just “Nice-to-Have”

It’s not fluff. It’s a real skill for everyday life. Whether you’re a student, a team leader, or someone just trying to get through the week, emotional intelligence makes everything run smoother.

Now you know why it matters. So let’s stop treating EQ like some extra and start treating it like the must-have skill it really is.

Want to level up how you handle stress, feedback, and people? Enrol now in our Emotional Intelligence Course at Open Learning Academy.