Emotional Intelligence vs. Rational Intelligence

What Are They and Which Matters More?

March 4, 2025

Most managers place a high value on quantifiable business problem solving. In a world of measurable results and specific outcomes, rewards and recognition often go to those who deliver on the key performance indicators (KPIs) that matter to the company’s results. This phenomenon is justifiable and understandable, as these results are at the heart of a company’s ability to deliver for its customers and shareholders.

But there is another side to results: it’s not only what is delivered, but how it’s done that elevates the performance. This is what truly sets professionals apart. It’s not always the person who lands the new customer, drives market share or figures out an efficient cost-reduction who thrives. Instead, it’s often the one who balances two critical but very different types of intelligence: rational intelligence and emotional intelligence.

Understanding these two types of intelligence – and how to strengthen them – may give you a big advantage in achieving your goals.

There’s a great example from one of my former team members who was seeking this balance early in her career:

Monica had been working in her role for about one year. She got off to a very strong start due to her facility in connecting with people and building relationships. She was the type of coworker who quickly learned what was top of mind for her colleagues both at work and at home. Because she enjoyed these strong working relationships, she was able to help her team achieve their goals, all while feeling good about the work they were doing. She leveraged her talents in bringing calm to stressful situations, diffusing conflicts and motivating individuals to perform their best. Monica’s emotional intelligence really helped her excel as a project manager, team member and leader.

However, Monica noticed that some of her peers – who are more data-driven and analytical – were being recognized publicly for their performance and contributions. There was a theme emerging around this recognition that focused on specific business problems they were solving. One was for finding a way to reduce project costs and another was for finding a way for the company to avoid a shipping delay for an important customer. These were important contributions, but Monica thought that her ability to keep her team on track, motivated and happy were also important contributions. But it appeared that they were not valued as highly. Monica wondered: Am I missing something?

Monica dug deeper for the common thread in these recent recognition moments. She figured that her coworkers were being lauded for specific, quantifiable results. It seemed to her that the focus was leaning more on these ‘rational’ parameters, rather than noticing the benefits for more ‘emotional’ parameters. Monica had read a lot about the value of highly important soft skills, and she wanted to ensure that she continued to demonstrate these skills that showcased her emotional intelligence.

However, she also understood the importance of balance. Monica wanted to be proactive about also putting rational thinking front-and-center. But changing her approach and how others perceive her would take time and effort…

What Are Rational Intelligence and Emotional Intelligence?

Let’s first look at what these two terms mean. Rational Intelligence (IQ) is about logic, critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills. You may have heard it called “cognitive intelligence” or “intellectual thinking” or “logical reasoning”, and these terms all refer to quantifiable, specific measurable elements of our thinking. Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is about understanding your emotions, managing them, and navigating relationships effectively. This may also be referred to as “emotional thinking” or sometimes “soft skills”. Consider where you fall in each of these categories:

Rational Intelligence

Emotional Intelligence

You look at a large data set and can start to see patterns and themes in the data.

You quickly grasp complex ideas and start to formulate solutions.

You approach a new problem with a systematic process, breaking it into manageable parts.

You’re able to cut through the noise to find clarity.

You have a sense when the mood of the room is off, even if no one says it explicitly.

You rarely act impulsively, carefully considering feedback and avoiding conflict.

You take time to build strong, meaningful relationships with colleagues and are viewed as a good listener.

Do You Need Both Rational and Emotional Intelligence at Work?

Both types of intelligence are critical to career success. I have heard from so many leaders that demonstrating rational and emotional intelligence at the right times over the course of a project, a collaboration or an entire career is key. Understanding and applying how each type matters will help to naturally embed them in how you show up at work.

High rational intelligence is necessary when you’re working in a technical field like finance, engineering, or data analysis, that requires you to solve complex problems or make evidence-based decisions. Your rational intelligence shines when you clearly communicate your reasoning behind recommendations you make and solutions you offer. In the early phases of your career, it will help you demonstrate your technical and subject-matter expertise and build credibility.

High emotional intelligence becomes increasingly important when you’re leading a team, whether or not this team directly reports to you. It is also important when communicating to and managing stakeholders, and when you’re navigating office politics. In collaborative and customer-facing roles, relationships matter, and having an inherent understanding of how your relationship is evolving will help build trust. As you advance in your career, leadership and interpersonal skills (anchored in your EQ) are valued just as highly as technical mastery.

It’s not about IQ vs. EQ – it’s about finding the right balance. The most successful professionals learn to leverage both. Those who are higher on the rational scale may hit a ceiling when it comes to their leadership potential, and those who are higher on the emotional scale may struggle to show their technical or problem-solving expertise. The next step is figuring out where you are for each type.

Self-assessment: IQ/EQ Balance

First, use the self-assessment tool in the sidebar to provide yourself some honest feedback on where you are. There are helpful guiding questions to use in your rating:

How easy is it for you to analyze problems and come up with logical solutions?
When approaching a new business problem or new project, to what extent do you think about how others feel about it?
When conflict arises, how much do you consider the facts behind the conflict and how much are focused on understanding everyone’s perspective?
Do you feel more comfortable solving technical challenges, or building relationships with people?

Next, examine your feedback from others. Use resources such as performance reviews, feedback from your manager and input from trusted colleagues and mentors to assess your strongest skills. Look for comments related to your analytical skills, relationship-building, teamwork or technical abilities.

Develop your IQ and EQ

Both types of intelligence can be developed with some effort. You will want to focus on your strengths and weaknesses to achieve the right balance for you. Review the ideas in the table below to create your own action plan based on your greatest needs.

If you want to increase your rational intelligence (IQ):

Emotional Intelligence

Practice problem-solving: Break large problems into smaller parts. There are many tools available to help, such as the 5 why’s, mind maps, and fish bone diagram.
Learn about logic: Up your game around logical or rational thinking. There’s a wealth of literature on logical reasoning and how it impacts behavior. Seek out sources on Behavioral Economics, Rational Thinking or Reasoning.
Hone your technical skills: Subscribe to news alerts related to your technical field, engage in discussions on LinkedIn or other specialized networks and look for webinars and other opportunities to remain current in your field.
Play Brain Games: You’re never too old to play. Puzzles, strategy games, or critical thinking activities can provide practice in logical and rational thinking.
Focus on Facts: In decision-making, make sure you’re separating opinions and emotions from data and evidence. Take time to reflect post-mortem on what worked well and what didn’t. Looks for ways to improve your reasoning for the next time.

Journal: Record your feelings and emotions and notice what triggers them. Look for patterns to enhance your understanding.
Shift your perspective: Consider how your colleagues are feeling during your meetings and interactions.
Listen…actively: During your conversations, turn your attention to what others are saying rather than working on formulating your response while they are talking.
Exercise The Pause: Give yourself some time before you respond, rather than blurting out the first thing that comes to mind. Learn more about the art of The Pause.
Foster connections: Show a genuine interest in what is going on in the lives of your colleagues. Simple questions about their weekends, their lives outside of work or other interests provide a good starting point.

There are clear benefits to strengthening both your emotional and rational intelligence. Understanding your strengths and weaknesses in each type of intelligence and which you want to develop will be important for your future success. Let’s look at the approach Monica took to demonstrate her abilities in both areas:

Accepting the challenge to make sure that her teammates saw her demonstrate both high emotional intelligence and high rational intelligence, Monica made a plan for herself. She committed to take more time to dig into project data and to think about themes and patterns in the data. She discussed her thoughts and ideas first with close coworkers and friends. Then she presented her findings to the broader working team using clear, evidence-based recommendations. In her role as project manager for the team, she led the group through a thorough break down of their latest situation into logical steps. As a result, she and the team found a root cause that they otherwise may have missed. During this time, Monica did not abandon her EQ skills. She continued to connect with the project team members individually and made a conscious effort to strengthen her working relationship with them.

Her boss and colleagues started to notice the change. Monica was recognized during the department meeting for her work on the root cause analysis and her ability to maintain the project timeline in the face of a potential disaster. Monica felt good about the effort she put into to demonstrate her natural emotional intelligence with improved rational intelligence, and she committed to keep working on both sides of the balance.

Call to Action

If you want to demonstrate both emotional intelligence and rational intelligence right now, take these steps:

Do your self-assessment. Be honest with where you fall on each scale.
Make a list of your gaps. This will provide the foundation for your action plan.
If you want to build or show your EQ: In your next group interaction, focus on listening more than talking. Connect what people are saying to how they are feeling about the problem, issue or situation. Talk to a colleague who also participated in the meeting about what you observed to validate your assessment. If you notice tension, conflict or frustration, think about what role you might play to resolve it.
If you want to build or show your IQ: Choose a problem – big or small – that you are facing at work. Carve out a separate time (15-30 minutes) to systematically break the problem down into smaller components. Challenge yourself to identify the cause of the issue and back up your assertions with data if it’s available. Share your findings with your manager or a coworker to validate your assessment. Demonstrating sharp problem-solving skills will show your ability to think critically and act decisively.

By improving both EQ and IQ, people will start to see you as a well-rounded professional who has both the technical skills and leadership skills to solve problems and inspire people. You will be able to establish team harmony and resolve conflicts to improve collaboration. You will be able support recommendations with facts and data, and you’ll be able to measure the results of your team’s performance. This balance and integration of both emotional and rational intelligence will enable you to become the leader who drives results while establishing an engaged and trusting team.