As educators, we know what IQ is – Intelligence Quotient.  The higher the number, the more capacity one has for learning about “stuff.”

But, how can some people with lower IQs be more successful that people with higher IQs?  The answer, as is posited today, can be found in EQ – Emotional Intelligence.

Emotional Intelligence, which was identified in 2004, can be more powerful than the intelligence processing which happens in the frontal lobes of the brain.

Emotions are seated in the limbic brain, which is where the spinal cord connects.  Therefore, all the input from the body’s senses must first be processed through the limbic brain before they reach the frontal lobes where rational thought takes place.

This explains why sales decisions are made emotionally, then justified logically.  It’s why political leaders can rally their supporters with statements that touch emotional hotspots, rather than by presenting logical arguments for their platforms.

Interestingly, in today’s political process, debates, which are based on logic and reason, are derailed by emotionally-charged accusations and finger-pointing.  Today’s media advertisements don’t extoll the accomplishments of the candidate – they incite fear by telling us NOT to vote for a particular individual because of the questionable viewpoints they hold or actions they’ve taken.

In order to bring some intelligence to the proceedings, emotions need to be controlled so that input can get to the place of rationalization where decision-making occurs.

For more about Emotional Intelligence and how it plays an important role regarding the learning process in students in your school, visit http://psychcentral.com/lib/what-is-emotional-intelligence-eq/.

From a mathematical standpoint, it would seem that Emotional Intelligence would be abbreviated EI.  In education, we call the emotional “center” the affective domain, while the knowledge “center” is the cognitive domain, so there’s still an element that’s missing.  It’s not just enough to “know it” nor to “feel it.”  Those intelligences need to be put into practice in order for success to result, and therefore, KQ (kinesthetic quotient) to make it happen.

Taking a loot at the graphic associated with this article, IQ predicts 1-20% of success; EQ predicts 27-45% of success.  That leaves 35-72% up to KQ.

Think + Feel + Act –> Be

Putting knowledge and emotion into practice brings us into the realm of leadership and management, since one can know what to do, and feel it’s the right thing, yet not be adept at putting such knowledge and passion into action to be successful.  It’s why it’s imperative that teachers today provide learning opportunities that not only touches students cognitively and emotionally, but also must be practiced to the point of proficiency.