Emotional Intelligence vs. Technical Ability: What Matters More at Work?

When we discuss workplace success, two qualities often dominate the conversation: technical ability and emotional intelligence. While technical ability reflects how well we analyse problems and apply knowledge, emotional intelligence, or EQ, reflects how well you understand and manage emotions, both your own and those of others. Although both seem to matter in the workplace, research shows they play very different roles.

What the Research Says About IQ

A large meta-analysis published in 2022 by Sackett and colleagues examined over 40,000 workers. The results found that cognitive ability predicts job performance with a corrected correlation of about r = 0.22. Therefore, IQ clearly matters, particularly in roles that demand complex problem solving. But the effect is not as large as earlier research suggested. Once employees pass the technical entry barrier, IQ alone does not fully explain why some people thrive and others stagnate.

What the Research Says About EQ

By contrast, a 2021 meta-analysis covering almost 18,000 employees across 99 studies found that emotional intelligence predicts job performance with a validity of about r = 0.45. This suggests EQ is an even stronger predictor in many real-world roles. It is especially important in jobs that depend on communication, collaboration, and leadership. The evidence points to EQ being critical in contexts where human interaction drives results.

The Power of Combining IQ and EQ

The picture becomes clearer when we look at how the two combine. A 2011 study by O’Boyle and colleagues showed that EQ has incremental validity. In other words, EQ explains performance differences that IQ and personality measures leave out. Technical ability may get you into the role, but EQ is what allows you to lead, influence, and adapt in fast-changing workplaces.

My Personal Experience

This aligns with my own experience during a business analytics project. I was tasked with building a model to predict consumer behaviour toward a gaming product and then presenting the findings to colleagues who had a limited background in data science. Developing the model relied on technical data analysis skills, but elucidating the insights in a way that the business team could understand required clear communication and empathy. I saw firsthand that technical brilliance without people skills often creates barriers. Those who balance technical expertise with emotional awareness are the ones who build trust, gain support, and create opportunities.

Why EQ Matters More Than Ever

As workplaces become more collaborative and less siloed, EQ seems to matter more than ever. Clients expect empathy as well as expertise. Teams want leaders who can listen as well as direct. So how can you strengthen your emotional cognition? My own career has shown me that building EQ through mentoring and volunteering has been just as valuable as formal study in shaping how I approach challenges.

In practice, the most successful professionals do not choose between IQ and EQ. They combine both. IQ provides the foundation to manage complexity, while EQ shapes how effectively you connect, influence, and grow. IQ may open the door, but EQ is what keeps you in the room.