Emotional intelligence involves the ability to perceive, understand and manage emotions. Research shows it predicts job performance twice as much as IQ and is important for leadership, sales performance, and customer loyalty. Studies found organizations that select and train for higher emotional intelligence see benefits like 10% higher productivity, 50% lower turnover, and over 1000% return on investment. Emotional intelligence helps create engaged workplaces where people can excel and is key to professional success, especially in tough times.