Goleman on Emotional Intelligence

In 1995, a book by Daniel Goleman, "Emotional Intelligence", changed the way that most people commonly think of, and define intelligence, leading to a focus on the interpersonal strengths that are commonly found in individuals who are happy and successful, in a kind of breaking down of the formula for the key to happiness (Goleman). This paper will take a closer look at Goleman's book, and along with it, take a position related to the subject matter of "Emotional Intelligence". This position will then be reinforced with relevant data and graphics in order to provide a complete understanding of Goleman, and viewpoints related to his research.

A Brief Overview of Goleman's "Emotional Intelligence"

Daniel Goleman, in "Emotional Intelligence", makes the assertion that people have aspects of emotional intelligence to varying degrees; for example, he begins with the individual knowing the their own emotional makeup, giving them the ability to make decisions with confidence and assurance. From there, Goleman, points out those individuals are inbred with the tools to manage emotions in order to be able to handle different emotions in the proper manner. Going even further into the dimensions of emotional intelligence, at least from Goleman's point of view, he asserts that the achievement of goals/motivation to achieve goals, the recognition of emotions in others, and reasoning ability exist in all individuals, with the genders each possessing these attributes in varying quantities and abilities (Goleman).

In fairness, Goleman of course presents a great deal of painstaking research, and the logic of what he is presenting makes logical sense, and surely is true to a certain degree, but the impression that his theories on emotional intelligence are absolutes should not be given. It would be more appropriate to take an objective look at "Emotional Intelligence", which then leads to another viewpoint.

Another Point of View on Goleman's Work
One of the universal themes that play a prominent role in "Emotional Intelligence" is that while Goleman identifies essential differences in the mental makeup of males and females, he is guilty of painting a somewhat rosy picture of emotional intelligence from the standpoint of how one functions within the modern society, interacts with others, and the like. In other words, Goleman gives the impression that everyone is born with all of the mental faculties that they will need in order to become productive, highly functioning people, although the degree of this will vary by gender. What this theory is lacking is the acknowledgement that nature or nurture are not exclusively the influences on emotional intelligence; rather, nurture and nature are both influences on how one develops as either a "good or bad" person, to put it simply. This can be seen from the early stages of emotional development when one takes a look at the fact that although the United States, for example, is one of the most prosperous nations on earth, with a standard of living that likely exceeds that of the majority of the nations of the world, American youths seem to have gone wild, turning to criminal behavior in huge numbers, for no apparent logical reason.

Even the most cursory review of crime statistics will clearly show even the most casual researcher that the problem of juvenile delinquency is at an all time high, in comparison to even a few decades ago (Lantieri). Also, the degrees to which it occurs are far more serious than they were, even ten years ago. The problem used to be over-simplified and chalked up to "kids will be kids", but today's "kids" are contributing to much more serious crimes than they used to. To illustrate the point further, a review and discussion of the following graphic representation is in order (Shepard, et al, 2006):

DEMOGRAPHICS OF CRIMINAL ARRESTS IN THE UNITED STATES- 2005

Type of Crime % of Total Committed by Youths Under 18

Violent Crime 15.4%

Property Crime (theft, vandalism, etc) 43.5%

Drug Offenses (possession, sale, etc) 22. 9 %

The statistics presented in the graphic, on the highest level, seem to be attributed to the increase in gang activity, the presence of poverty in many parts of the US, and the pressures of growing up in a complex world; however, if everyone was born with pre-programmed emotions and potential, this would not matter. Therefore, it is a logical conclusion that nurture- the influences of parents, peer groups, the media and so forth- affect emotional intelligence as much as what one is born with as a genetic makeup. This begs the question of whether or not the "mental compass" of an individual can be manipulated in order to prevent such flawed emotional responses to outside influences. As with a physical illness, a cure cannot be obtained until a cause is determined, therefore we must uncover the underlying factors that cause this behavior, and then work from there to find a suitable course of action.

Moving forward with the theory that it is a combination of biological factors and learned behavior that influence emotional intelligence, we can see that although, as Goleman presents, children are born with genetically pre-determined personality traits, such as violence, temper, morality & conscience levels, etc., these traits don't get the chance to surface without being affected by external environmental factors. For example, if a child is raised in an abusive household or regularly associates with people who display certain behaviors, these factors will override the natural makeup of one's psyche, while if the child had been raised in a stabile, nurturing environment, they might not (Olson, et al). Conversely, it is not fair to say that simply being raised in a destructive environment will cause somebody to behave immorally; this is where the necessity for the biological aspect comes in. There are thousands of people who are abused as children, or associate with the "bad crowd", yet it does not cause them to behave in the same manner. Perhaps one of the best theories available to describe this dynamic is what has come to be known as social learning theory. The social learning theory is the view that crime is learned in given social contexts through modeling, observation, and then reinforcement (Gardner). This theory supports the hypothesis that delinquent behavior is caused by environmental factors as well as the level of emotional intelligence that one is born with, as Goleman writes in "Emotional Intelligence". The child will observe, and model the behavior he/she sees his/her parents and friends demonstrating; young people are highly affected by what their parents say or do, which is how attitudes such as racism are passed down from generation to generation, despite the efforts of government, media and social groups trying to stop them (Gardner). This makes perfect sense, as it does not seem possible that one can be born with a tendency to favor or hate certain groups of people, although the classic view of emotional intelligence holds that the ability to reason, make decisions, relate to others, and manage emotions is part of the physiology of the individual at birth (Goleman). The influence of others-which is to say nurture- on developing individuals seems to be able to override the hard wiring provided by the facets of emotional intelligence. Therefore, once a child displays this type of behavior, it will be reinforced, whether by acceptance and encouragement of a peer group, or by attention the child receives at home. Some children feel ignored at home, and will continue to misbehave, even to receive negative attention, just as long as they are being focused on. Therefore, one can surmise that emotional intelligence can be augmented by outside influences.

The impression should not be given, however, that emotional intelligence can only be compromised or damaged by nurture; in fact, it seems ridiculous to even refer to such negative and destructive influences as "nurture" in the first place. Therefore, the question of whether or not emotional intelligence can be improved by influences outside of the mental composition of an individual deserves a closer look. On one hand, as was stated quite clearly before, it is safe to say that an individual who is born with even the highest potential for deductive reasoning, emotional expression, empathy, and the other positive attributes which create a highly functioning and emotionally intelligent individual can be corrupted by poor rearing and unfavorable outside influences from peers, popular culture, and so forth. Also, there is evidence to indicate that someone who is not necessarily born into the highest level of emotional perception and the greatest potential for a high level of emotional intelligence can be positively nurtured into an empathetic, highly perceptive, and productive individual (Lantieri). A likely example of something of this nature which comes to mind is an individual like Abraham Lincoln, who was born into abject poverty to parents who were not the most intelligent or highly educated of people, but were able to nurture young Abraham to the point where he eventually became not only president of the US, but also one of the most respected moral compasses of his time.

Because Goleman also places a great deal of emphasis on the power of the individual to be able to guide their own emotional future, so to speak, another interesting subtopic of "Emotional Intelligence" that needs to be explored in order to really understand the nature of Goleman's studies is the idea of free will.

While free will has been looked at as a mostly philosophical issue, basically since the beginning of rational thought on the part of human beings, it can also be looked at as a mental/physiological issue. In other words, it is possible to consider free will as something that is more a part of the natural processes of the human mind and body than as a mere fabrication of the vivid imagination of deep thinkers over the course of human history. Goleman's work can be categorized under the heading of free will based upon several manifestations of emotional intelligence as follows (Goleman):
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE RELATED TO FREE WILL

Emotional Intelligence Factor
Factor's Influence by Free Will
Impulse Control
Impulses can be controlled by medication, but may not be totally controlled by the will of the individual
Self Esteem
Can be inflated or defeated by one's mental outlook
Self Motivation
Motivation can be increased by one's desire to achieve goals
Mood Management
Somewhat moveable by free will, but can also be medicated
People Skills
Can be honed with the building of skill sets-free will

When looking at the chart, there are a few valid arguments that can be made about the concept of free will, some of which are positive for the theories of Goleman, and some of which that are contrary to what he has written in his book:

1.
SOME EMOTIONAL FACTORS CAN BE INFLUENCED BY INDIVIDUAL DESIRE: The human being has the awesome potential to either improve the mental outlook and actions of the individual or to quite literally activate a mode of self destruction. In terms of Goleman's theories, people have the ability to either motivate themselves to be better people, or to be complacent at best or destructive at worst.

2.
SOME EMOTIONAL FACTORS CAN ONLY BE ARTIFICALLY MANIPULATED: The control of impulses and one's mood, for example, for the most part can only be manipulated to any measurable degree by the use of medications; as an example, the intense effects of depression are in many cases only relieved with the assistance of medications which ease symptoms, etc.

3.
SOME EMOTIONAL FACTORS ARE MOVEABLE TO SOME EXTENT: The ability of the individual to decide to do or not to do something exists, albeit to varying degrees in each person.

Emotional Intelligence in the Business World

While Goleman's findings are compelling, as are the findings that have been presented in this paper which are contrary to Goleman's theories, all of these become extremely relevant when the consideration of the role that emotional intelligence plays in the business world comes into play.

Perhaps the two most important facets of Goleman's presentation of EI, in direct relation to the business environment of today, are confidence and self assurance. It has long been said, and proven, that fear is something that has the ability to stop any businessperson dead in their tracks (Shepard, et al); whether an individual is seeking advancement in their business career, starting their own business, or simply trying to maintain the ordinary daily status quo of even the most mundane of business activities, not having the inner fortitude to make tough and often risky decisions in the interest of some sort of benefit or profit, whether organizationally or personally, will surely hold back those in the business environment who are lacking in these areas. Conversely, those who are confident and secure in their own ability to make the key decisions on their own are the ones who typically reap the greater levels of business success. Simply put, the core of Goleman's theories on EI relate directly to business success, individually and organizationally.

There are also elements of EI, from other sources that are contrary to Goleman's findings, but are important to consider in the business world nonetheless. The most compelling of these is the assertion that emotional factors are moveable and can be artificially manipulated by the individual when necessary. Therefore, an individual with a low level of EI can, when necessary, motivate themselves to the level of emotional stability and intensity necessary to properly function in business settings, and basically take care of business when needed.

Overall, when relating EI to business, what needs to be understood is that the highest levels of EI are required for the highest levels of business success, but depending upon the situation, those without an inborn high level of EI can artificially augment it when it is necessary.

Conclusion

Daniel Goleman, in "Emotional Intelligence", has made some fascinating assertions about the dynamics of the human mind, which, when augmented with additional research, make for fascinating considerations of the emotional complexities of modern people. Indeed, in fairness, no one knows all of the keys to the mental composition of the brain, and therefore Goleman should not be expected to be completely right on any one topic, especially since many of the topics are open to interpretation. Therefore, in conclusion, what should be taken away from this research is the fact that while human beings are born with certain mental attributes, those can be damaged/improved with the influence of outside factors. Moreover, and perhaps most importantly, the potential of the human being, for both achievement and destruction, is limitless. The challenge going forward will be for Goleman and others to better understand the inner workings of the human mind and try to harness them for the betterment of humanity, for in the final analysis, the interactions between people are the most essential elements of modern civilization.

Works Cited

Gardner, H. (1999). Intelligence Reframed Multiple Intelligences for the 21st Century. New York: Basic Books.
Goleman, D. Emotional Intelligence. New York: Perennial Books-Doubleday, 1995.
Lantieri, L. (2001). An Ounce of Prevention Is Worth a Pound of Metal Detectors. Reclaiming Children and Youth, 10(1), 33.
Olson, C. O., & Wyett, J. L. (2000). Teachers Need Affective Competencies. Education, 120(4), 741.
Shepard, R., Fasko, D. J., & Osborne, F. H. (2006). Intrapersonal Intelligence: Affective Factors in Thinking. Education, 119(4), 633.