Assessing Emotional Intelligence: A Competency Framework for the Development of Standards for Soft Skills
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Assessing Emotional Intelligence: A Competency Framework for the ...

Chapter 1:  Introduction
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By addressing these issues, it has found itself unavoidably related to issues pertaining to ‘the good life’ that have been the concern of ethical philosophers throughout recorded history, as well as to the discourse surrounding dialogic ethics that has been prominent from the early twentieth century (significant among these have been Buber, 1923/1970; Freire, 1970; and Habermas, 1981/1984, 1981/1987).

This dimension resonates with sentiments such as those expressed by Goleman (1998). He wrote,

Having these capabilities offers each of us a way to survive with our humanity and sanity intact, no matter where we work. And as work changes, these human capacities can help us not just compete, but also nurture the capacity for pleasure, even joy, in our work. (p. 374)

Delimiting the Study

The range of what can be described as soft skills is too large and diverse to be encompassed by any one study. This study will, therefore, be delimited to the consideration of selected interpersonal skills conceptualised within the context of emotional intelligence competencies.

Recent years have seen dramatic growth in interest in this approach to such skills. This has been significantly stimulated by the view of emotional intelligence adopted by Daniel Goleman and its popularisation in the two books Emotional Intelligence and Working with Emotional Intelligence (Goleman, 1996; 1998).

A good illustration of this interest may be seen in the following comments by Mezirow who, referring to Goleman’s approach, saw emotional intelligence and its related competencies as essential for transformative learning:

Effective participation in discourse and in transformative learning requires emotional maturity—awareness, empathy, and control—what Goleman (1998) calls “emotional intelligence”…Goleman elaborates emotional competencies for each of these dimensions of emotional intelligence. (2000, p. 11)
As challenging one’s cherished beliefs (a leap into the unknown) often involves a threatening emotional experience, the qualities that constitute emotional intelligence are essential conditions of transformative learning. (2000, p. 24)