us some perfect examples. Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon could be labeled “worst cases” on an EQ scale of Presidents. Each was gifted with political genius, yet each met with disaster. Greenstein, from Princeton University, says they are the political versions of Van Gogh, “who does unbelievable paintings and then cuts off his ear.” On the other hand, look at John Kennedy and Ronald Reagan. Nobody ever considered them intellectual geniuses yet both radiated qualities of leadership with confidence and qualities that endeared them to the nation. Currently, we have Mr. White House, who is a Rhodes scholar which makes him certifiably brainy, but his emotional intelligence is—how shall I say it—very shaky and has gotten him into a lot of trouble. What would you have done? Would you have delighted in devouring your delicacy the minute your mom left the room, or would you have had the emotional strength to resist immediate gratification and enjoy later benefits? Perhaps this EQ debate will cause you to evaluate yourself and others in a new way. Maybe things which once puzzled you about certain individuals and their success, or lack thereof, now make perfect sense. It is people with whom we work and live and our relationships with them may spell the difference between success and failure in our lives, and thus is the true measure of one’s intelligence. Nourishing the soul as well as the mind can only make for a more well-rounded and successful individual. ...
