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Emotional Intelligence is necessary for work, school, and home life. This is a skill that is often unnoticed, but is used in everyday life. Emotional intelligence helps salespeople make sales. Emotional intelligence helps new friends bond and communicate over their favorite movies, tv shows, and different aspects of life.
What are the Best Emotional Intelligence Books to read?
Emotional intelligence is a fancy term for social skills. Social skills can make or break someone’s career, and relationships. Even the most outgoing person may still need help understanding how to communicate at work. The smartest person in the world may not know how to score a date. The contestants on jeopardy have limitless knowledge on french literature, inventors and inventions, biology, and so much more, but they may not know how to resolve workplace conflicts. These books on emotional intelligence cover a wide range of social topics, and how to work through them. This are 20, of many, books on emotional intelligence.
Best Books on Emotional Intelligence: Our Top 20 Picks
Here are some of the best emotional intelligence books that you can consider to expand your knowledge on the subject:
1. Emotional Intelligence 2.0
Emotional intelligence is the ability for one to control their emotions, and use their emotions to handle relationships empathetically. Emotional Intelligence: Why it Can Matter More Than IQ by Daniel Goleman details why this type of intelligence is just as essential as having a high IQ. Goleman uses both neuroscience and psychology how the “rational” and the “emotional” minds work together to live every day intelligently.
Emotional intelligence is essential for establishing and maintaining relationships in work, school, and personal life. Knowing random facts like who invented the lightbulb, and which animal has the hardest bite force may seem cool, but they don’t compare to social skills. This book is full of great examples, and hands on research that make it an easy read. The book is split into five important skills that are simple enough for anyone to understand, and use in their own life.
- Authors: Travis Bradberry (Author), Jean Greaves (Author), Patrick M. Lencioni (Foreword)
- Publisher: TalentSmart; Har/Dol En Edition (June 16, 2009)
- Pages: 280 pages
2. Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ
Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Travis Bradberry contains all the need to know information on emotional intelligence. The books caters to the individual and how emotional intelligence can work in their everyday lives. Bradberry helps each person find their strengths, and how they can be used to help them succeed.
This book includes lots of research, and hard-hitting stories.Over 500,000 surveys were conducted to get the results in this book. The book has 66 emotional intelligence strategies that can help everyone. Geniuses and everyone between will enjoy reading about emotional intelligence, and where they fit in. The book is essentially a step by step guide to determining what works best for the reader.
- Authors: Daniel Goleman (Author)
- Publisher: Bantam; 10th Anniversary Edition (September 27, 2005)
- Pages: 384 pages
3. Primal Leadership, With a New Preface by the Authors: Unleashing the Power of Emotional Intelligence
Emotional Intelligence: For a Better LIfe, Success at Work, and Happier Relationships by Brandon Goleman is a straight-forward book that does exactly what the title says it will do. Overall, it helps readers have better lives. This book helps readers understand themselves more deeply, and in a more emotional way. This helps them connect with others, and move forward in life, whether it be at school, work, and everywhere else.
In this book, Goleman explains the importance of emotional intelligence and why it should not be overlooked. Goleman seeks to debunk all the emotional intelligence myths. This book can help anyone gain a higher emotional intelligence. This book is an easy read, it’s short, and it ends with a 15 question quiz that determines the reader’s emotional intelligence level.
- Authors: Daniel Goleman (Author), Richard E. Boyatzis (Author), Annie McKee (Author)
- Publisher: Harvard Business Review Press; 1st Edition (August 6, 2013)
- Pages: 336 pages
4. Working with Emotional Intelligence
10 Must Reads on Emotional Intelligence by Harvard Business Review details articles on emotional intelligence that everyone should read. The book includes 10 articles on emotional intelligence from experts. Researchers at Harvard have combed through hundreds of articles on emotional intelligence to choose the best ones. These articles help readers improve their emotional skills, and build better relationships.
The book can be dull at times, but it reads quickly. Having 10 different articles with varying standpoints makes it an easy read. If anything, readers can read one or two articles from this book and still gain a higher understanding on emotional intelligence. It’s beneficial to read the whole book, but it’s not essential. The book helps readers become more effective leaders in the home and at work.
- Authors: Daniel Goleman (Author)
- Publisher: Bantam; Reprint Edition (January 4, 2000)
- Pages: 400 pages
5. HBR’s 10 Must Reads on Emotional Intelligence
The book Primal Leadership by Daniel Golman, Richard E Boyatiz, and Annie Mckee has recently got a new preface. This is the third edition of the book, so the preface helps readers form a personal connection with the authors before starting the book. The ideas in this book work universally. They can be used at work, in school, and in the home.
This book stays up to date on emotional intelligence, so readers should not be concerned about it being outdated. The authors draw from experience, research, and examples. Even though this book is on its third edition, it does not include a lot of new information. For those who have read past editions, there is little reason to buy this book. For those who haven’t, read this one. It’s easy to read, and has lots of great information on emotional intelligence from three different perspectives.
- Authors: Harvard Business Review (Author), Daniel Goleman (Author), Richard E. Boyatzis (Author), Annie McKee (Author), Sydney Finkelstein (Author)
- Publisher: Harvard Business Review Press; 1st Edition (May 5, 2015)
- Pages: 208 pages
6. The Emotional Intelligence Quick Book
Emotional intelligence can be used for all kinds of things. It’s great for improving relationships of all kinds. One of these relationships that can be built stronger is that between salesperson and customer.
Emotional Intelligence for Sales Success by Colleen Stanley is not the ordinary emotional intelligence book. This book details the importance of emotional intelligence and how it can help increase sales. Stanley explains how, with emotional intelligence, readers can broaden their “emotional toolkit.” Artificial intelligence is taking over in the sales game. What these devices can’t do is provide a deep and meaningful question. No one wants to buy products for an overzealou and aggressive salesperson. This book will teach salespeople to be empathetic, kind, and build life-long relationships with customers who will become regulars.
- Authors: Travis Bradberry (Author), Jean Greaves (Author), Patrick Lencioni (Foreword)
- Publisher: Fireside; 1st Edition (June 13, 2005)
- Pages: 188 pages
7. EQ Applied: The Real-World Guide to Emotional Intelligence
Emotional Intelligence Mastery Bible by Brandon Cooper is an audible book that includes seven books. The book has three narrators: Sam Slydell, Russell Archey, and Roland Purdy. This set includes some of the following books: “Emotional Intelligence: The Complete Psychologist’s Guide to Mastering Social Skills,” “Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: The Complete Psychologist’s Guide to Rewiring Your Brain,” and “How to Analyze People: The Complete Psychologist’s Guide to Speed Reading People.” This group of books could be dubbed a “bible” because it contains praise-worthy information on the topic of emotional intelligence.
All of the books are by Brandon Cooper, so the opinions don’t vary too much, but all in all this set of books is very informative and a good listen. This audiobook will help listeners garnish an understanding on their emotions and build stronger relationships.
- Authors: Justin Bariso (Author)
- Publisher: Borough Hall (May 17, 2018)
- Pages: 208 pages
8. Emotional Intelligence for Sales Success: Connect with Customers and Get Results
Understanding the emotional intelligence quotient (EQ) is essential to getting through life successfully. EQ Applied: The Read World Guide to Emotional Intelligence by Justin Bariso is a book that combines scientific research with world examples.
One of the examples Bariso uses in this book is the story of Steve Jobs. He explains Steve Job’s entrance and exit to and from Apple, and how this affected the company. The book has real life stories for various kinds of people: an ex-FBI agent, a singer, and so much more. Bariso teaches readers to be empathetic without draining their own energy. He explains how to break faulty habits, and be the best each person can be.
- Authors: Colleen Stanley (Author)
- Publisher: AMACOM; First Edition (November 1, 2012)
- Pages: 224 pages
9. Quick Emotional Intelligence Activities for Busy Managers
The EQ Edge: Emotional Intelligence and Your Success by Steven J. Stein and Howard E. Book is in its third edition. The book delves into how to be successful in all aspects of life. Stein and Book have formulas to garnish successful relationships no matter what they may be. Some examples they include, are: a spouse, a little league baseball couch, as a parent, and so many more. Stein asks questions that determine what kind of emotional intelligence each reader has.
The book includes studies that happened out in the real world, too. This book is an easy, straight-forward read that anyone can understand. This book helps readers become more confident, and successful. With the knowledge from this book, readers can incorporate their emotions into good fortune.
- Authors: Adele Lynn (Author)
- Publisher: AMACOM; Special ed. Edition (January 29, 2007)
- Pages: 192 pages
10. Emotional Intelligence Mastery Bible 7 Books in 1
The intelligence that school’s often focuses on is that of IQ, and not emotional intelligence. Working with Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman discusses how important emotional intelligence actually is. Goleman explores how emotional intelligence advances job performance, and work life.
A degree may be required for certain jobs, but emotional intelligence is what makes candidates stand out. This book is essentially a big how to use emotional intelligence to get a job, receive promotions, and go far in work. Goleman shares the skills that are required to make employees stand out to quickly move their way up from entry-level jobs to CEO positions. Goleman also criticize corporate training. This book explores how businesses could better succeed by implementing better emotional intelligence policies.
- Authors: Robert Eastman (Author), Marc Cooper (Author)
- Publisher: Independently published (November 24, 2019)
- Pages: 689 pages
11. The EQ Edge: Emotional Intelligence and Your Success
Emotional Intelligence: Boost Your Life by Improving Your EQ, Social Skills, and Control of Negative Emotions by Dale Mcleo talks about the essential skills that are needed to live long, vigorous lives. This book discusses the impact emotional intelligence has on the people readers meet on a regular basis. Some important chapters from this book are: “The Impact of Emotional Intelligence in Daily Life,” “How Emotional Intelligence Affects Your Life,” and “How to Improve Your Social Skills.”
The book is full of information on how to control negative emotions, boost emotional intelligence, and use the reader’s emotions to their advantage. Having emotions can be perceived as a weakness. This book details just how wrong that idea is. Having emotions, in actuality, is a strength that anyone can achieve.
- Authors: Steven J. Stein (Author), Howard E. Book (Author)
- Publisher: Jossey-Bass; 3rd Edition (April 26, 2011)
- Pages: 368 pages
12. Emotional Intelligence: For a Better Life, success at work, and happier relationships.
Emotional Intelligence: Focus by the Harvard Business Review includes work from four writers: Daniel Goleman, Heidi Grant, Amy Jen Su, and Rasmus Hougaard. The book explains how to be a human at work. Each writer contributes their own research and opinions on how emotions impact our lives at work and in the home.
However, this book has more information on the work perspective. The book has advice on how to improve relationships with co-workers and bosses. The information in this book can help people who have no information on emotional intelligence, to people with lots of information on emotional intelligence. This book helps those who are uncertain in how to proceed in work. Readers will succeed in the workplace with emotional intelligence.
- Authors: Brandon Goleman (Author)
- Publisher: Independently published (June 17, 2019)
- Pages: 124 pages
13. EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE: Boost your life by improving your EQ, Social Skills and Control of Negative Emotions!
Emotional Intelligence Practical Guide by Mark T. Coleman is a great read for beginners who have no prior knowledge of emotional intelligence. The book promises to help readers “win friends, influence people, improve your social skills, and achieve happier relationships.” The book helps people with inept social skills. Coleman explains how to get on the good side of co-workers, classmates, and anyone in between.
Emotional intelligence may seem like a natural gift, but it’s not. It can be learned. Through the book, readers will learn what emotional intelligence is, how it can strengthen relationships, and 200 tips for increasing emotional intelligence. This book really is a simple, practical guide for becoming in tune with emotions, and making the most of social situations.
- Authors: Dale McLeo (Author)
- Publisher: Independently published (September 9, 2019)
- Pages: 114 pages
14. Emotional Intelligence And How To Achieve Mastery
Emotional Intelligence is all about improving people skills in all aspects of life. Emotional Intelligence and How to Achieve Mastery by Jacob Greene teaches readers how to be more likeable. This book details 25 ways to boost social skills and better initiate conversations. Greene helps readers build their self-confidence in a way that will benefit them. This book gives readers the control in their lives.
This book is a very easy and simple read. It’s only 108 pages, so it doesn’t have too much depth. It scratches the surface, and helps beginners who are ready for the first step in using their emotions to their benefit. Greene wants readers to guide every conversation they have, and not be susceptible to manipulation.
- Authors: Jacob Greene (Author)
- Publisher: Independently published (October 28, 2018)
- Pages: 144 pages
15. Emotional Intelligence at Work: The Untapped Edge for Success
Emotional intelligence is essential to progress in any career. This includes religious leaders. Emotional Intelligence for Religious Leaders by John Lee West, Roy M. Oswald, and Guzman Nadyne are for religious leaders from priests to archbishops. Even though these leaders are put in huge positions of power, rarely are they trained on leadership and social skills. This book will help religious leaders fill in those gaps.
The book helps religious leaders address their self-awareness and determination. This book is great for religious leaders in all settings. This book was released in 2018, so it’s still relatively new. It has up-to -date information on emotional intelligence. That being said, this book is really only suited for religious leaders.
- Authors: Hendrie Weisinger Ph.D. (Author)
- Publisher: Jossey-Bass; Edition Unstated (April 1, 2000)
- Pages: 219 pages
16. Emotional Intelligence Practical Guide
The Emotional Intelligence Quickbook by Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves is quick indeed. The book is 185 pages full of the basics on emotional intelligence. The authors, Bradberry and Greaves, are both well-versed in the work of emotional intelligence. They two of them have worked as emotional intelligence speakers, consultants, and researchers. They include their own findings in this book.
The book is fast-paced and easy to follow. Some lessons that can be found in this book, are: decreasing stress, understanding emotions, and increasing production. The book is engaging because of how much information is included in so few pages. The four most important areas of this book are about self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management.
- Authors: Mark T. Coleman PhD (Author)
- Publisher: Independently published (August 1, 2019)
- Pages: 229 pages
17. Emotional Intelligence for Religious Leaders
Emotional Intelligence: Rewire Your Brain by Jacob King is a recovery guide that helps both addicts and pessimists rewire their brains. The book helps readers change the bad habits they endure every single day. This book helps readers coop with their emotional trauma and control it. With this book, King wants readers to rewire the way they think and become more positive.
The book talks about embracing change for the better. The book wants readers to cut out the negative aspects of their life, and fight off procrastination. King has lots of examples on how to fight off negativity with emotional intelligence. This book is great for those who are often down, and wish to “rewire” their brains.
- Authors: John Lee West (Author), Roy M. Oswald (Author), Nadyne Guzmán (Author)
- Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers (August 24, 2018)
- Pages: 128 pages
18. Focus (HBR Emotional Intelligence Series)
Masculine Emotional Intelligence by John Adams is a 30 day program for building a healthy relationship with “yourself, your partner, friends, and colleagues.” This book helps readers understand how better to communicate with others through body language and facial expressions. It helps readers comprehend what others mean through their body language and facial expressions, too. A lot can be said without words being spoken.
The book includes many examples on emotional intelligence, and how it is used in everyday life. The book has lists of emotion intelligence resolutions, like: “three ways to effectively manage your frustrations,” and “four proven methods to reduce nervousness and worrying.” The book helps reduce toxic masculinity and unnecessary anger in men and women. This book is a great read for anyone interested in controlling their emotions.
- Authors: Harvard Business Review (Author), Daniel Goleman (Author), Heidi Grant (Author), Amy Jen Su (Author), Rasmus Hougaard (Author), Maura Nevel Thomas (Author)
- Publisher: Harvard Business Review Press; Reprint Edition (December 4, 2018)
- Pages: 176 pages
19. Masculine Emotional Intelligence
Emotional Intelligence at Work by Hendrie Weisinger that helps readers control their emotions in the working world. Emotional intelligence plays a huge role in work, but is often overlooked by how many words a person can type per minute, and how much experience they have. Sometimes the most important part of a person’s job is their lies in their social skills.
This book discusses how to master the most important concept in emotional intelligence. Weisinger explains how to increase self-awareness, become more motivated, and manage moods. The book has many examples from the real world that help readers relate to the text, and apply the same skills to their lives.
- Authors: John Adams (Author)
- Publisher: Independently published (July 12, 2019)
- Pages: 127 pages
20. Emotional Intelligence: Rewire Your Brain
Quick Emotional Intelligence Activities for Busy Managers by Adele Lynn helps business leaders grow teamwork within their companies. Teamwork is one of the most essential components of a well-working business. If colleagues don’t get along or can’t work together, results in work may be skewed negatively.
This book is full of 50 team activities that help employees bond, get to know each other, and work as a team. The activities are quick. They should only last 15 minutes, so employees won’t suddenly get bored. This will help change the pace at work, and provide a nice break for busy work. Some activities are geared to specific workplace problems. There are activities for managing competition, overcoming fear and obstacles, and assessing team strengths and weaknesses.
- Authors: Jacob King (Author)
- Publisher: Independently published (December 16, 2019)
- Pages: 120 pages
Choosing the Best Emotional Intelligence Books
Understanding a social situation and the emotional intelligence that is required of it can help boost a person’s life. Whether they are struggling at work, or with their personal relationships, these books can help readers develop a strong understanding on how social skills are needed in all aspects of life. These books detail how to build self-confidence, self-motivation, and other elements of social expertise. The books provide examples, research, and opinions from professionals to anyone and everyone learn about emotional intelligence.
