What is social intelligence?

“Emotional Intelligence” (or “Emotional Literacy”) refers to a set of skills or abilities that has been shown by scientific research to make a big difference to people's success in life and at work. The term was popularised in 1995 by well-known science writer Daniel Goleman in his best selling book, “Emotional Intelligence”, and has now passed into common currency, like “IQ” did before it.

More recently (2006) Daniel Goleman wrote another book called, “Social Intelligence”, which explains very interestingly why and how human beings are hard-wired to connect with each other.  In it he has drawn on social neuroscience research to propose that social intelligence is made up of “Social Awareness” (including “empathy”, “attunement”, “empathic accuracy”, and “social cognition”) and “Social Facility” (including “synchrony”, “self-presentation”, “influence”, and “concern”).  It would seem therefore that the skills of “emotional intelligence” are part of what scientists mean when they talk of “social intelligence”.

However you define this kind of ability (and you will find a variety of definitions if you search these words on the internet) it clearly makes the difference between successful and unsuccessful human relationships.  Both emotional intelligence and social intelligence have to do with how effective we are at getting along with others.  Both are to some-extent a part of everyone’s genetic inheritance.  But neither is wholly predetermined from birth and both are at least to some extent learnable.

“Skills with People”, the Gould Training communication skills course, is not about academic psychology.  It’s an experience through which you can become more aware of your own responses and reactions to others, unlearn the habits of response which may be counter-productive, and hone up the skills which will increase your success with others, in other words, develop your practical emotional and social intelligence.  The course was in existence for many years before the terms, “emotional intelligence”, and, “social intelligence”, were popularised by Daniel Goleman.  What he did was present scientific reasons why the skills it teaches work and why they matter.  His books are interesting as background reading, but if what you want is to develop your skill they’re no substitute for practical, hands-on training.