13 essential emotional intelligence books

Emotional intelligence books are always a useful and enriching resource. to enhance self-knowledge a little more, to improve the management of our complex emotional universes and enjoy more satisfactory interpersonal relationships. Because sometimes, having a high IQ is not enough to be happy: intelligence is much more than the result of a test.

We are aware that the topic is not new, that we have all heard about this concept, where more or less people have already read something or have delved a little deeper into the topic. However, even though Two decades have passed since Goleman popularized the term with his best-seller Emotional Intelligence, We could say that we continue to miss its principles in many of our most everyday environments. In other words, we are talking about something more known than applied, more revered than practiced.

The need for emotional intelligence in everyday life

We would like to perceive that emotional intelligence is present in our workplace, colleagues trained in emotional competencies. We would, without a doubt, like it if the principles of Emotional Intelligence were implemented in an adequate and real way in the curriculum of all educational centers. It would also be fascinating if our political leaders mastered many of the pillars of this discipline, since we would all benefit.

We miss its real presence in many areas, there is no doubt, and we even perceive that we ourselves have shortcomings in our daily lives, gaps and erroneous attitudes that increase our anxiety, giving way to blockages and frustrations. The good news about all this is that Emotional Intelligence can be trained.

A good way to achieve this is to immerse ourselves judiciously in the wide editorial offering that we have today. Thus, below we will try to help you by pointing out those Emotional Intelligence books that we find most interesting.

1. Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman

It is impossible to start a list of emotional intelligence books without referring to this book that laid the foundations of an authentic revolution in the field of psychology, personal growth, leadership or education. We could say without mistake that everything has changed a little since in 1996, Daniel Goleman, a psychologist and journalist from the The New York Times specialized in dealing with topics on brain science, told us bluntly “that our vision of human intelligence was quite narrow.”

Human beings, in reality, have a wide range of essential capacities for life, with emotional intelligence being the best tool to achieve happiness and social success. This is one of the essential emotional intelligence books to understand these principles, these keys that undoubtedly invite us to constant reflection.

2. Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves

Let’s say that we have already read several books on emotional intelligence.. Let’s imagine that we already understand its key concepts, that we have delved into its usefulness, its benefits and the areas in which it can be applied. However, how can we develop it in our daily lives?

with this book We will learn hundreds of ways to apply emotional intelligence with a very specific purpose: to improve our quality of life. To achieve this, the authors guide us in learning four basic skills: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and how to manage our social relationships.

3.The secret to controlling and transforming your life by Maxwell Maltz

This book has two very special characteristics, the first is the year in which it was published: 1960. The second, its author, Maxwell Maltz, one of the most famous plastic surgeons in the world. This doctor, accustomed to changing people’s physical appearance to improve their self-esteem or to reconstruct faces that had suffered a traumatic accident, was aware that most of the time it is not enough to see ourselves well in the mirror to be happy.

Another type of transformation is necessary, one that starts from within, from one’s own psychic and emotional essences. So, Long before Daniel Goleman told us about Emotional Intelligence, Dr. Maltz laid some fabulous foundations with this essential and useful book, which was republished and brought out of oblivion after the rise of this discipline.

4. 7 habits of highly effective people by Stephen R. Covey

This is a classic of emotional intelligence books. It has more than 25 million copies sold and its main attraction is that it offers us a holistic approach on how to achieve success, happiness and well-being.

Stephen Covey, a well-known professor, lecturer and entrepreneur, seeks above all to give us resources and practical skills so that we can be more proactive., so that we improve our relationships, our security and leadership capacity through emotional intelligence. Furthermore, combined all this with a very interesting concept about human dignity and the sense of social justice.

5. Educate with Emotional Intelligence by Maurice J. Tobias, Steven E. and Friedl Elias

This is one of the most interesting and useful emotional intelligence books if we have children at home or if we are dedicated to the world of education.. Through the pages of this book we will learn to communicate a little better with our little ones and, in turn, we will build a more rewarding relationship where we can provide them with strategies and skills with which to improve their relationship with others.

It is a very pedagogical option that invites reflection, which puts us in very real situations where, sometimes, adults feel a little empty when it comes to manage tantrums, conflicts between siblings or with our children’s classmates. It is, as we say, a very useful option and whose rewarding reading can always enrich us.

6. The resonant leader creates more by Daniel Goleman, Richard Boyatzis and Annie McKee

Mark Twain once said that ““I didn’t know if the world was governed by intelligent people who make fun of us or by idiots who are serious.”. Many of us will have this same doubt because, sometimes, our leaders (whether in the workplace or on the political stage) do not seem to demonstrate adequate competencies to direct us and even to inspire us.

This book invites us to these and other reflections. Because The authentic leader is not always distinguished precisely by his talent or his technical mastery.. What’s more, even we ourselves, in our attempt to be successful in a given environment by managing a given number of people, may not be able to reach them.

We lack, of course, adequate skills to formalize effective leadership with which to manage emotions and enhance positive feelings in teams., that is, as Goleman explains to us, it would be about creating resonance. This book should always be on our work table: it inspires and teaches.

7. Compass for emotional navigators by Elsa Punset

This book is a little delight that comes in handy at any time, that helps on any occasion and that will undoubtedly invite us to delve a little deeper into emotional intelligence. In it, Elsa Punset immerses us in a slightly more personal vision of the subject through her own experiences in raising children. and in the construction of their adult personality and all the emotions and conflicts that arise in this process.

More than a book, it is a manual. A personal journey to weather storms, where any emotional navigator will tune his own compass to find his north, his balance, his point of grace.

8. The good thing about having a bad day by Anabel González

In this wonderful book on emotional intelligence, psychiatrist and psychotherapist Anabel González invites us to question and rethink many of the false beliefs we have about emotions, such as the idea that there are bad or negative emotions, which we should avoid.

In this way, through its pages, it helps us to expands our emotional universe and teaches us to relate in a healthier way with our emotions. From acceptance, instead of repression, to their elimination.

Overall, this is an excellent book for learn to make peace with our unpleasant emotions, face difficult days and expand our emotional intelligence. And the best of all is that it is easy to read and didactic, with examples, exercises and metaphors that facilitate the integration of information.

9. The wisdom of emotions by Norberto Levy

It is a work that teaches us that emotions are a source of wisdom and learning. Now, to take advantage of its teachings we must be able to pay due attention to them and know how to manage them when they appear.

In this way, Dr. Levy teaches us, in a clear and simple way, how to attend to our emotions to recognize what we feel and listen to the message that each one brings us. This exercise helps us reconcile with those emotions that are difficult for us and that we try to avoid.

10. The Attentive Warrior by Van Gordon, Shonin, and García Campayo

Regarding techniques to develop emotional intelligence, this book explores meditation and mindfulness to delve deeper into personal narrative. TO Through the figure of the attentive warrior, transcendence, wisdom and depth of thought are sought. Highly recommended for those looking to improve their emotional intelligence through habits.

eleven. 50 activities to develop Emotional Intelligence by Adele B. Lynn

Continuing with the practical line, this book contains no less than 50 activities that you can put into practice to improve your emotional intelligence. It is easy to read, contains examples and advice for all areas of daily life. Through this book you will find a line of action to improve your values ​​and your relationships.

12. Psycho Cybernetics: The Secret to Control and Transform Your Life by Maxwell Maltz

This work is an updated version of the influential book that Maxwell Maltz published in 1960.. It is one of the first approaches to control techniques of…