But once you are in that field, emotional intelligence emerges as a much stronger predictor of who will be most successful, because it is how we handle ourselves in our relationships that determines how well we do once we are in a given job.

Goleman is arguing that technical skill and cognitive ability may be sufficient to enter a competitive profession, but they do not reliably distinguish top performers once a baseline of competence is met. At that point, the differentiator becomes emotional intelligence: self-management (regulating impulses, resilience, motivation) and social competence (empathy, communication, conflict navigation). The quote reframes “success” as relational and behavioral rather than purely intellectual, implying that workplaces reward those who can collaborate, lead, and sustain productive relationships under pressure. It also suggests that selection systems overemphasizing IQ or credentials miss the traits that drive long-term performance and advancement.