by Alex Cull

Created on: January 20, 2009

The last few decades have seen a vast increase in the number of roles for technically-minded individuals, across the globe. Computerisation has transformed our societies utterly, and has created a host of specialised niches for those of us with an aptitude for work involving complex systems, number-crunching and machinery. Our modern global civilisation is built squarely upon an expanding technological base, which is developed, serviced and maintained by an ever-growing army of professionals.

At the same time, however, it has become all too apparent that there is a widening gap between our ability to handle extremely complicated systems (such as, for example, industrial supply chains, or transactions in the international money markets) and our ability to handle the all-too-human complexities of our emotions and our relationships with one another.

And no wonder. Unschooled in the "soft skills" of psychology, we must largely fend for ourselves, perhaps in emotionally sterile or chaotic workplaces, where the rules of business are constantly changing but where there is also a perpetual and stress-inducing need for us to deliver results, consistently, to deadlines and within budget.

When our computers develop faults, there are manuals we can consult and skilled technicians who can come to our aid. However, when relations break down between colleague and colleague, or between managers and their staff, or when anger becomes an issue and threatens to get out of control, where on earth can we look for guidelines?

Over the last ten years, a number of psychologists have started to figure out how to bridge this gap. In his bestselling 1995 book Emotional Intelligence, for instance, Daniel Goleman described a kind of skill set that he differentiated from IQ (intelligence quotient.) IQ is purely about cognitive skills and the ability to solve problems involving numbers, shapes and logic. Emotional Intelligence (sometimes described as "EQ") is about being self-aware, developing the capacity to understand and manage our own emotions, whilst also acquiring sensitivity to the emotions of others and the ability to build successful interpersonal relationships.

You may be thinking: what does all this mean, though, and where would I start? Your job may well be difficult enough at the best of times, and the idea of adding some sort of extra dimension of touchy-feeliness to your workload might leave you unenthusiastic, daunted and perplexed.

I have found that an excellent place to begin

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