Emotional Intelligence and Public Relations: EQ is the New IQ (Routledge New Directions in PR & Communication Research)

Emotional intelligence, often referred to as emotional quotient (EQ), has emerged as a critical soft skill in public relations (PR), proven essential for performance, leadership, and fostering collaborative organizational cultures. Despite its importance, EQ remains understudied in PR contexts. This groundbreaking volume presents the first comprehensive collection of cutting-edge research and theoretical and practical insights exploring the pivotal role of EQ across PR practice and education.

Leading scholars contribute original research, theoretical frameworks, and case studies examining EQ in various settings. The book covers diverse topics including EQ’s importance in PR roles, internal communication, listening and mindfulness, leadership, intercultural relations, work-life harmony, crisis communication, health communication, organizational listening, social capital, and diversity initiatives. Each chapter provides practical recommendations for implementing EQ principles in daily PR practice and future research directions.

This essential resource serves multiple audiences: PR educators seeking to incorporate EQ into their curriculum, researchers exploring the intersection of EQ and communication, and practitioners looking to enhance their professional capabilities. Whether used as a supplementary text for PR theory courses, a foundation for professional development, or a required text for specialized EQ classes, this volume delivers valuable insights into why EQ truly is the new IQ in public relations.

Weiwu Zhang, PhD, is Professor of Strategic Communication and Associate Dean in the College of Communication, Information, and Media at Ball State University. He was Research Chair of the Public Relations Division of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC). He also served as editor for Communication Booknotes Quarterly, a book notes and book review journal published by the Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group. His research examines political public relations and political communication. His current scholarship centers on emotional intelligence and public relations, emotional intelligence and academic leadership in higher education. Zhang has published about 40 journal articles and book chapters on political public relations, political communication, and emotional intelligence and public relations in leading refereed journals such as the Journal of Public Relations Research, Public Relations Review, the International Journal of Strategic Communication, Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly, and Communication Research, among others.