You know, that line “Emotional intelligence is not the opposite of intelligence” really nails it. It’s a game-changer because it reframes a whole debate, showing that our feelings and our logic aren’t at war. They’re a team, and when they work together, that’s where the real magic happens.
Share Image Quote:Table of Contents
Meaning
At its heart, this quote dismantles a false choice. It tells us that being smart with emotions doesn’t mean you’re abandoning rational thought. It’s the powerful, synergistic blend of both.
Explanation
Look, I’ve seen this confusion so many times in my work. People think that to be “emotional” is to be irrational. And to be “intelligent” is to be this cold, Spock-like calculator. Goleman is saying that’s a fundamental mistake. The most effective people, the ones who truly excel, are the ones who use their head to understand their heart, and use their heart to inform their head. It’s not one or the other. It’s the unique intersection. That’s the sweet spot. That’s where you get wisdom, not just raw data or raw emotion.
Quote Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Original Language | English (3668) |
| Category | Wisdom (385) |
| Topics | balance (95), emotion general (105), intelligence (13) |
| Literary Style | elegant (11), philosophical (434) |
| Overall Quote Score | 84 (319) |
Origin & Factcheck
This comes straight from Daniel Goleman’s 1995 book, Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ, which was a massive bestseller and really popularized the term. You’ll sometimes see the concept, or even this quote, misattributed to other psychologists or leadership gurus, but the phrasing and the core argument are definitively Goleman’s.
Attribution Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Author | Dr Daniel Goleman (50) |
| Source Type | Book (4032) |
| Source/Book Name | Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ (54) |
| Origin Timeperiod | Contemporary (1615) |
| Original Language | English (3668) |
| Authenticity | Verified (4032) |
Author Bio
Daniel Goleman is a psychologist and bestselling author whose journalism at The New York Times brought brain and behavior science to a wide audience. He earned a BA from Amherst and a PhD in psychology from Harvard, and studied in India on a Harvard fellowship. Goleman’s research and writing helped mainstream emotional intelligence, leadership competencies, attention, and contemplative science. He co-founded CASEL and a leading research consortium on EI at work. The Daniel Goleman book list includes Emotional Intelligence, Working with Emotional Intelligence, Primal Leadership, Social Intelligence, Focus, and Altered Traits.
| Official Website
Where is this quotation located?
| Quotation | Emotional intelligence is not the opposite of intelligence, it is not the triumph of heart over head—it is the unique intersection of both |
| Book Details | Publication Year: 1995; ISBN: 978-0553375060; Last edition: 2005; Number of pages: 352 |
| Where is it? | Introduction, Approximate page 12 from 2005 edition |