Intelligence is a trait sought-after by many schools and teachers, as well as employers. Companies and schools employ standardized tests to identify those superior in EQ. Many believe that screening for intelligence benefit companies in the long run, because EQ is passed on genetically and therefore cannot be learned.

As early as the 70’s however, social scientists and business researchers have shown proof that IQ by itself is not a sufficient predictor of success. As higher levels in organizations and for certain positions such as sales and customer service, what differentiates superior performers from the average are emotional competencies—the ability to manage oneself and to work well with others. Emotional intelligence includes the ability to recognize, discern, and identify one’s emotions (self awareness), to control and master these emotions (self-regulation), and to utilize such information to produce desirable results in one’s interaction with others.

It is commonly accepted that EQ remains unchanged throughout life. The question for trainors of soft skills is this: Can emotional competencies or EQ be enhanced? Daniel Goleman, the foremost guru on EQ point out that there is an old-fashioned term for EQ and that is maturity! In the normal course of life, people mature ‘through life experiences and grow in self- awareness, self-regulation and the in some cases, the ability to influence and lead others.

In today’s fast-paced and demanding work environment however, and in sunrise industries where young people in their late twenties and thirties need to step up to leadership positions, the normal course of emotional maturity needs to be supplemented by emotional competence training.

The good news, Goleman points out, is that although maturity that comes with age remains an advantage (“it is harder to teach young dogs new tricks”, he says), it is possible to enhance EQ through training interventions.

Soft skills training however requires a different model of learning. Unlike cognitive training where understanding is often enough, the retooling of habits, attitudes and behavior (what we call the acquisition of “soft skills”) requires a rewiring of the neural circuitry in the brain. This requires motivation, feedback and extended practice, which explains why many leadership programs do not have long-lasting results.