Emotional intelligence: A practical review of models, measures, and applications.

The concept of emotional intelligence (EQ) was introduced about 25 years ago, and over that time has evolved from a new scientific construct, to a popular fad, to a mainstay concept in leadership and team development. It is a unique concept in that it is both respected in the scientific community and understood by the general public. This article is focused on common practical questions about applying EQ in consulting psychology. First, it examines 3 of the most widely accepted models of EQ and compares and contrasts them. Next, it describes and evaluates the assessment tools used to measure each model. Finally, the article presents sample applications of EQ assessment in executive coaching and team development to demonstrate both the utility of EQ and ways to go about applying it in practice.