Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman

This book starts off looking at neurology - the workings of the brain - and recognising that some unconscious emotional responses are triggered before we're even aware of them, or have a chance to think what an appropriate response would be. Our initial reaction therefore, is instinctive, and we may later regret having responded in the way we did. Harnessing the power of emotional intelligence can get us responding more appropriately. A lot of emotional intelligence is developed in childhood, given the right circumstances to develop a healthy social and emotional life. There are ways to teach people emotional intelligence, and examples are given throughout the book. The first chapter is pretty complicated, going into a lot of complex biological reactions, but if you find that hard work, it's worth reading on, because the rest of the book is an easier read.

The book goes on to show how emotional intelligence includes social skills and how these are vitally important to success in life. People with good social skills will often do better in life and feel more contented than those with poor social skills but high IQs. Emotional Intelligence, says the author, is self awareness, knowledge of how you feel, and it enables you to show empathy to others. The book also talks about the effect of powerful emotions on other parts of the brain, saying that students who are angry, upset or depressed, don't learn - because emotions are all consuming, and take away the ability of the logical brain to function at its best. This is why being aware of your emotions, and then able to manage them well, can help you in many walks of life, and is critically important in child development. The book looks at anger, empathy, the contagious nature of emotion, medicine, trauma, family life, and other related topics, including how training can help to develop greater emotional intelligence in children. It's a fascinating read, if a bit hard going in places. There's a lot of emphasis on child development.