Is there a dark side to emotional intelligence?

I consider my emotional intelligence to be one of my greatest strengths, and because of it, I’ve had thousands of positive and successful professional relationships. This trait allows me to easily work with a variety of people, handle conflicts effectively, comfortably navigate change and build even stronger relationships.

Seeing such a positive use and outcome, it was quite the shocker to find out some people use their emotional intelligence to actually manipulate others. According to research in The Atlantic’s articleThe Dark Side of Emotional Intelligencea research team led by University College London Professor Martin Kilduff found:

“…Emotional intelligence helps people disguise one set of emotions while expressing another for personal gain. Emotionally intelligent people ‘intentionally shape their emotions to fabricate favorable impressions of themselves,’ Professor Kilduff’s team writes. ‘‘The strategic disguise of one’s own emotions and the manipulation of others’ emotions for strategic ends are behaviors evident not only on Shakespeare’s stage but also in the offices and corridors where power and influence are traded.’”

This got me thinking: Had I ever used my emotional intelligence to manipulate others? After some thought, I realized that yes, I had. I was “guilty” of tweaking the way I communicated a message to get the results I was looking for. I’ve used a stronger “tug-at-the-heartstrings” approach toward certain people for certain asks, and I’ve used a more “tough-love-assertive” style when I thought that approach would yield the results I needed.

Was this wrong? Absolutely not.  Adjusting my communication style to better meet the needs of my audience or situation is what all effective communicators should do. But could my “manipulating” have been unjust if I were trying to get people to say “yes” to a malevolent cause? Most certainly. This was a scary revelation.

Ultimately, the lesson here is to be aware that your emotional intelligence could be used “for evil” if you’re not careful. To make sure you converse with integrity, plan on clearly defining your goals and action plan before communicating whenever possible. This way, you can check in with yourself and ensure your strategy is ethically sound. Try involving others in your communication tactics so that you can get unbiased feedback on your motives and intended communication approach.

Danielle Clark is a higher education leader, educator, career coach and HR consultant. She has a strong and diverse professional background working with higher education institutes and family-owned and Fortune 500 companies. Her goal is to educate and inspire professionals to change their way of thinking. Danielle is also an active community volunteer, wife, mother and passionate lifelong learner.

Author: Danielle Clark

Dr. Danielle Clark is a witty heart-centered millennial. She wears many hats in this beautiful + crazy thing we call life. She is a proud wife, and cat, dog and human mama who works as a psychic medium, intuitive life coach, spiritual teacher and business professor. Dr. Danielle’s life work is focused on helping people heal from self-judgement, trauma and grief so that they can release their suffering and tap into the highest version of themselves. Danielle’s been blessed to do that for herself and that’s why she’s made it her mission to pass along her wisdom to others. Danielle is from just north of Boston. She currently lives in the Tampa Bay area. She believes with a little love, grace and humor anything is possible. She invites you to join her blog Onwards at drdanielleclark.com and to connect with her on social media.

Leave a Reply

A higher version of YOU

A higher version of YOU

Join the Onwards newsletter, and I’ll send you ‘11 Tips to Navigate Chaos with Grace and Clarity’. Plus, I’ll share personal stories, advice, and events to help you become a higher version of yourself. If you’re looking to explore and release the things that are dragging you down, and are ready to fill that space with acceptance and a growth mentality, then Onwards if for you!

Check your inbox! If you can't find the email try checking your spam folder / promotions tab.

%d bloggers like this: