Emotional Intelligence 2.0

By: Travis Bradberry, Jean Greaves

Narrated by: Tom Parks

In today's fast-paced world of competitive workplaces and turbulent economic conditions, each of us is searching for effective tools that can help us to manage, adapt, and strike out ahead of the pack.

By now, emotional intelligence (EQ) needs little introduction - it’s no secret that EQ is critical to your success. But knowing what EQ is and knowing how to use it to improve your life are two very different things.

Emotional Intelligence 2.0 delivers a step-by-step program for increasing your EQ via four, core EQ skills that enable you to achieve your fullest potential:

1) Self-Awareness

2) Self-Management

3) Social Awareness

4) Relationship Management

Emotional Intelligence 2.0 is a book with a single purpose - increasing your EQ. Here’s what people are saying about it:

“Emotional Intelligence 2.0 succinctly explains how to deal with emotions creatively and employ our intelligence in a beneficial way.” - The Dalai Lama

“A fast read with compelling anecdotes and good context in which to understand and improve.” - Newsweek

"Gives abundant, practical findings and insights with emphasis on how to develop EQ. Research shows convincingly that EQ is more important than IQ." - Stephen R. Covey, author, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

"This book can drastically change the way you think about success...read it twice." - Patrick Lencioni, author, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team

Note: When you get this title, we’ll send you a unique code to access its accompanying online material. ©2009 TalentSmart®. Travis Bradberry, Ph.D., and Jean Greaves, Ph.D. (P)2010 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

Self-assessment is subjective

I give it 3.5 stars. After purchasing the book, you are given a code to take the emotional intelligence appraisal test online. You rate yourself on a list of statements, like whether you can be counted on, handle stress well, get along with others, and handle conflict effectively. Then based on your responses, you are directed to certain strategies in the book, like practice the art of listening and catch the mood of the room. This is ineffective. Most people can't objectively rate their own behaviors and performance. If you know you are weak in certain areas (self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management), you can practice the strategies in those chapters. However, if you are already aware of your weaknesses and want to improve, you're probably not deficient in emotional intelligence. You're better off selecting a book focused in the area you want to strengthen, such as communication, giving feedback, reading body language, building relationships, making conversations, etc.

Also, the book doesn't provide good illustrative examples where you can picture yourself in those situations and whether you're demonstrating emotional intelligence or not. The examples read like generic performance reviews -- "she sometimes comes across as defensive or aggressive. So for her to be more aware of her tone and language would be helpful." There's no context for these statements, like what was said that sounded defensive and what would have been a better alternative.

This is a good READ.

This wonderful book shines a light on the fact that intelligence, that is "book smarts," is just one component of what contributes to a person's overall success in life. Pursuing qualities such as self-esteem or persistence will make you more effective in your work, as well as bring more joy into your life. He gives you sound examples of how to cultivate areas in your own life, so you are not just reading about how it "should" be.

That said, the narrator starts off well reading this book. He is engaging and fairly easy to listen to. However, at the points when he needs to share the quotes of a variety of people, he uses a strange and almost comical variety of voices and it does not work well. I became so annoyed with this over-acting, that eventually, I had to skip through it. It is truly awful.

I had read the book, and just wanted to reiterate the information more clearly in my mind as I drove. Reading the book is worth the effort!

Great information presented well

I’ve seen this book many times in various books stores, yet I had no interest in it. Then one day I was lead to it and bought it. I found the information quite useful at this point (2014) in my life. I’m going through a period of looking at how I’ve been conducting myself and the direction my life has been going. I found the techniques here and on the website after taking the EQ test very useful in my growth. I found ways to stop sniping at people and ways to work through issues with people. I’m finding the book very useful and condensed many other books I’ve read into one easy reference material. I have this in paper form as well as digital and I hand it out to people to read now. I recommend it to anyone looking to change or enhance their relationship skills.

Good content. Distracting (misogynist?) reader.

Would you be willing to try another one of Tom Parks’s performances?

No. Very weird choice to mimic gender-specific voices in the book. I would understand if this was fiction, but this was very distracting. It was like Foghorn Leghorn was reading the book to me...

A must read for Managers and Leaders

This book should be a once a year reading requirement for managers and leaders. It is concerning that people with Director level and above title often have lower EQ. This book has a lot of exercises that require serious action to apply. Highly recommended.