Q. Give me one reason that I should care about my level of EQ!

A. Here are several reasons, gleaned from studies on the topic. I’ll divide them into personal-life and professional-life categories, although it can be difficult to separate them.

Personal life—Possessing high levels of EQ can:

• Help you build and maintain stable, rewarding, interpersonal relationships
• Reduce your stress levels
• Enable you to role model EQ skills for others
• Increase your health, happiness, and success—maybe your longevity, as well

Professional life—Possessing high levels of EQ can:

• Allow you to communicate in affirming ways that minimize conflict, while still having a different opinion
• Help you attain high levels of success

Note: Studies have shown that successful managers typically have high EQ, while less successful managers typically have low EQ (but often have a high IQ).