Sometimes its best to just zip the lips. I'm sure Congressman Joe Wilson wishes he'd kept his mouth shut last Wednesday night instead of yelling "You lie" at President Obama during the President's speech on national TV.

This was emotional ignorance at its best. Regardless of whether Rep. Wilson's outburst was factual, his timing was definitely poor. I wonder how big of a hit Rep. Wilson's career will take because of his recent gaff.

We've probably all had emotional outbursts at times, but most likely not on such a grand stage.  I know I have said things before that I regret. We can all learn a thing or two from this example.

It is almost common knowledge in leadership circles these days that Emotional Intelligence (EQ) trumps IQ in almost every role, especially leadership roles, because leadership involves working with people. Past a certain point, IQ doesn't really matter tremendously in the modern workplace. To the contrary, EQ always matters because the higher our EQ, the more effective we are in getting things done through others. 

Emotions are not bad in and of themselves. In fact, they provide valuable insights into what triggers our behavior. A lack of emotional control, however, can prove costly in both the long and short term. Fortunately, unlike IQ, EQ can be improved over time. We can learn to check our emotions at door and think before we speak. We can also learn to think and not speak!

Do you know your EQ? If so, what are you doing to improve your personal and social competencies? If you've ever worked with a coach on EQ, would you share your experience with a comment?