EQ Applied: The Real-World Guide to Emotional Intelligence

Justin must have extended his work on this book enough months for it to seem like a year. Relentlessly devoted to examining E.Q. from all perspectives, Justin has distilled what it really is, and what it isn’t. This is not some 101-level renditioning of everything you’ve heard about turning the other cheek, especially when responding in such a way feels unnatural. It’s OK. That was my first take on E.Q., but that was just the ‘kumbaya’ crowd hijacking another word. Your idea that ‘something was off’ was likely the biggest clue in the land of the clueless. And you weren’t alone. E.Q. was being manipulated by authors to suit their own promotion. My biggest fear, watching Justin’s work unfold from an ignorant distance, was time. E.Q. was so trendy! People were casting an ever-widening net to make it include everything they felt was good; and using it to assault anything they felt was bad. This was childish. But E.Q. is not about trends. It’s also not about it being wrong to have any one emotion; to experience any burning desire to punch someone in the face; or, in some cases, to even act on it. Sometimes, a punch in the face in response to a slap is indeed E.Q. I believe that, but it’s probably a bit of a stretch. I have my own nets, and my own elusive Yeti fishes—oh, twee! E.Q. was the pulpit of every narcissist in business writing two years ago. I took a lot of punches as an author and commenter myself. A year ago, Justin promised it was coming, “it’s coming, it’s coming, Ma.” And it came. The book that would settle scores with the abusers of all things magical within high E.Q. living! Emergently early on, Justin arrived deus-ex-machina…with a readiness to investigate. What seems humorous now is my handoff at the time. I saw Justin “beat me to the punch” on some E.Q. items, and told him this was “just great. After all, I’m too busy to handle this now.” Yes, you can laugh now. After combatting poor uses of E.I. terminology, Justin made a series of steps through to taking on real headlines—and examining the emotional angle. Now we’ve all seen this style of click bait, right? No, we haven’t. Because it was never click bait. Instead, Justin drew you in with a defensible—and yes, irresistible—title. I lovingly left the next chapter in the great epoch of E.Q. all to Justin—and he went ahead and wrote a book. Just kidding about undue credit, but you, Dear Reader, mustn’t leave your own exploration of E.Q. to anyone else. Not even yourself. Justin has it nailed. I write this as the most vocally anti-E.Q. person on the planet. I will also be clear that Justin took every pummeling he could from me on his public E.Q. content back in the day when he was Old Skool (c. 2016), even to watch him go back and change some scientific angles on LinkedIn articles and posts, and even columns. This is pretty cool. It’s not just because I’m notoriously awesome, but because Justin has zero ego; full humility; and absolute cognizance, judiciousness, and execution on healthy principles for healthy life and business outcomes. This is where this book will take you. Justin is the embodiment. Now, let’s talk about people taking it even further with E.Q. It’s not just blowhard bloggers sucking the life out of this two-digit diamond. It could be your spouse; your boss; you pet; your friendly neighborhood benevolent bon vivant benefactor buddy. People who know emotions can play them, too. This is very, very scary stuff. It goes far beyond your boss or company telling you to read a book that gets you compliant with demands (demands you detest). Well, I can't say a person who knows emotions well enough to weaponize them is necessarily "un"intelligent emotionally, but there may be a character deficiency there. My main peeve is any surprise that idols might have major flaws. Especially with success that consumes, little time is left to develop personality. Plus the worst critics are always the arm chair set, anyway. In cases where any person is manipulating knowledge of E.Q., Justin's chapter on the sinister side is pretty keen for their defense! We can also learn to spot when corporations are telling employees its high E.Q. to take their nonsense. High E.Q. should never equate to being a sucker, and this debate is solved by this book. Probably the single greatest benefit of this book is its manual format. You will not just be told it's E.I. to turn the other cheek -- and from the same mouth whose hand slapped you. We've all seen those propaganda books, which are written by authors who hope companies will buy them--so you'll be happy your cheese got stolen. You'll learn all the angles and dynamics. This manual helps you know, be mindful of, and be watchful for all elements of E.Q., high and low - and be smart enough not to let rock star strikes leave us blinded to anyone. So many other striking benefits. I get paid to write. I don’t bother dropping a review unless I have a compliment. Same thing for other review sites. This is the least sycophantic 5-star rating ever, because Justin proved me wrong. He was right … about … absolutely everything. This book is essential. Put it in your arsenal. I have been disarmed.

As an innovation and leadership consultant, I was drawn to "EQ Applied: The Real-World Guide to Emotional Intelligence" by Justin Bariso for its promise of practical insights. The book certainly delivered on that front, offering a refreshing take on emotional intelligence that's grounded in real-world applications. Bariso's approach resonated with my professional experience, where I've consistently observed the profound influence of emotions on decision-making and relationships. The book's emphasis on practical strategies and exercises made it immediately applicable to my work with clients. One of the most valuable aspects was the focus on channeling emotions productively. Bariso provides tools to help leaders harness their feelings in ways that benefit themselves and others, a crucial skill in today's complex business environment. The insights on building trust and fostering empathy were particularly relevant to my innovation consulting work, where collaboration and understanding are key. The book's exploration of emotional manipulation was eye-opening. It equipped me with strategies to help my clients recognize and guard against such tactics (and to recognize when they're engaging in them), enhancing their emotional resilience in high-stakes situations. "EQ Applied" stands out for its accessibility and actionable advice. It's an invaluable resource for anyone looking to enhance their emotional intelligence, especially in a professional context. Whether you're a seasoned executive or an emerging leader, this book offers practical wisdom to elevate your EQ and, by extension, your leadership effectiveness.

This book is an interesting find. It has good hands on techniques and a solid, basic understanding of emotional intelligence. Speaking as one who has had emotional challenges throughout his life, (personally and with others,) I find it easier to apply emotional or mental knowledge through therpists, and not other professionals. This book has many good tips, but in my opinion, professionals who deal with emotional trauma for a living or a professional who has experienced it themselvs are better suited to offer advice in matters like this. I would say this book is good with the basics of emotional intelligence, but speaking for me, it’s not always easy to apply the offered techniques.

This is, without question, the number one book I recommend to patients. I’ve shared it with so many people over the years, and I continue to hear back from them long after they’ve finished it. I’ve received notes and letters describing how pivotal it was for their healing, their perspective, and the way they understand themselves and their relationships. It’s one of those rare books that doesn’t just “inspire” for a moment it actually changes the way people think, cope, and live.

Finally, a book that takes such an academic subject and applies it to the real world, with actionable steps and intelligent, yet simple, explanations. I've read many other EQ books and this one finally brought them all together into one comprehensive simple real world explanation. I will recommend this book, and only this book, to everyone I feel needs EQ help, and will only use this book for EQ from now on; because there is no need for any other book about EQ unless you want to know the research. Thank you, and bravo!

Despite the description's presentation, this is predominately an advice book filled by suggestions with ill-suited names, and endless content of "don't"s. If you want a book that presumes what you think of experiences and situations and asserts these onto you (those are not my concerns in those circumstances), gives silly names and titles each of their advice hints, and want to memorize a long list of don'ts --and their specific conditions-- to try to apply without many do's(I would rather have understanding), this is the book for you. Asking the reader "How do you manage your emotions in these moments?" is not informative or instructional! That's the question I bought the book to answer. So I have stopped reading at p25. Maybe after I have mastered emotional intelligence I will return to this book and find an appreciation for it. Or maybe the obnoxiousness of attributing thoughts and attitudes to me will still outweigh any potential benefit. Either way I will revise my rating at that time. For now, neutral is as generous as I can be.

Excellent Book. One of the biggest challenges I've had when presenting the concept of EI is how to apply it once someone has learned the concept. The author nails it on page 12 - "assessments claim to measure EI, but tests like these have limited value: they may give you an idea as to how much you know about emotions and their effect on behavior, but they can't evaluate your ability to put that knowledge to work in everyday situations" This book unpacks ways, in the form of real life examples, on how to best utilize EI in the heat of the moment. He delivers on his promise to teach "How to make Emotions work for you, instead of against you". I lead a sales team and I recommend this book to anyone in sales leadership or any leadership position whatsoever.

Just an ok book. Doesn’t flow well and Really nothing that is much different from any other self-help book

I bought this book after reading the electronic version from the public library. It truly changed my life and allowed me to be more aware of my emotional weaknesses and strengths. It’s easy to understand and apply. Highly recommended!

Its easy to read, real life application. Enjoy reading it

Discusses real issues. Very easy to understand and apply in day to day life. I recommend this book to be revisited multiple time before we can practically apply the learnings

Our emotions have the most important influence on all aspects of our lives and still just a few people are aware of it. I love the simplicity with which Justin explains such a profaund topic. If everyone would learn about emotional intelligence, we would live in a more beautiful world.

A friend recommended this to me and I'm very happy she did. It's changed the way I communicate with the people around me. It's a great reminder of how important it is to be responsible for our actions, regardless of what the situation is. Great ready for teenagers also!