Understanding Social Intelligence for Career Success

Dr. Mary Bemker in her return appearance on "Own Your Career" tackles the topic of Social Intelligence. Social intelligence is the capacity to effectively negotiate complex social relationships and environments. Social intelligence, rather than quantitative intelligence defines humans. Social scientist believe social intelligence is an aggregated measure of self- and social-awareness, evolved social beliefs and attitudes, and a capacity and appetite to manage complex social change. "The ability to understand and manage men and women, boys and girls, to act wisely in human relations". It is equivalent to interpersonal intelligence, one of the types of intelligence identified and closely related to theory of mind. Social intelligence is a person’s competence to understand his or her environment optimally and react appropriately for socially successful conduct.