In a recent LinkedIn post, Vanessa Van Edwards explores the often-overlooked skill that can significantly boost earning potential: emotional intelligence (EQ). Van Edwards argues that many professionals find themselves stuck at a certain income level because they focus too heavily on technical skills while neglecting the development of their EQ, which she posits has a much greater impact on financial success.
According to Van Edwards, the financial disparity is stark. She highlights data indicating that individuals with high emotional intelligence earn substantially more than their counterparts with lower EQ. “people with high emotional intelligence earn an average of $29,000 more per year than those without it,” Van Edwards states, further elaborating that “Every single point increase on an EQ assessment adds roughly $1,300 to your salary.” This financial incentive is compounded by career advancement opportunities, as Van Edwards points out that “75% of employers say they’re more likely to promote a high-EQ worker over a high-IQ one.”
The Trainable Nature of Emotional Intelligence
A key takeaway from Van Edwards’s post is that unlike IQ, which is largely considered fixed, emotional intelligence is a skill that can be actively developed. This is encouraging news for professionals looking to enhance their career trajectory. Van Edwards emphasizes that EQ is not an innate personality trait but rather a set of learnable skills.
Harnessing EQ Through Emotional Labeling
To illustrate how emotional intelligence can be cultivated, Van Edwards references a study on spider phobias. In the study, participants who learned to verbally label their fear experienced a greater reduction in their fear response compared to those who used positive self-talk. Van Edwards explains the neuroscience behind this phenomenon, citing Dr. Dan Siegel’s concept of “Name it to tame it.” This involves naming emotions to reduce activity in the amygdala (the brain’s fear center) and activate the prefrontal cortex (the rational part of the brain).
Van Edwards proposes a practical application of this principle for high-stakes professional situations, such as salary negotiations, delivering feedback, or crisis management. She advises pausing before responding and naming one’s internal state, for example, by thinking, “I’m feeling defensive” or “I’m frustrated.”
“That single act of labeling shifts your brain from reactive mode to reflective mode. The conversation changes. The outcome changes. Your career trajectory changes.”
By engaging in this simple practice, Van Edwards argues, individuals can move from a reactive state to a more reflective one, thereby transforming conversations and ultimately, their career paths. She concludes by framing emotional intelligence not as a ‘soft skill’ but as the fundamental skill that enables all other skills to be effective. “Emotional intelligence isn’t soft skills versus hard skills. It’s the skill that makes all your other skills work,” Van Edwards asserts.
📝 About This Content
This article is based on insights shared by Vanessa Van Edwards on LinkedIn.
📅 Originally posted on April 17, 2026 | View original post on LinkedIn →