There are many profiles to success and much variation in the characteristics of the people that succeed. Two staples among successful individuals are being good (i.e., sustained results in exceeding expectations) and being liked (i.e., being emotionally intelligent). If you had to pick one, which one would yo pick and why?
Without question, having a high intellectual quotient (IQ) provides advantages in being able to understand concepts that not everyone can understand. Given that outcomes and success are often predicated on or relative to numerical values, it helps to be able to comprehend the material (e.g., analytics, formulas, data, etc.) that contributes to how we arrive at these values. The acumen to comprehend things will afford certain types of people to be wildly successful in certain areas. However, when that same acumen is not accompanied with likeability, it can be off-putting and prevent a person from reaching a higher ceiling.
Being emotionally intelligent (EQ) is a new concept in the mainstream categories of attributes. This is our ability to manage ourselves (emotionally and otherwise) and manager relationships we have with others. It is the ability to "read a room" and discern a delivery or approach based upon some of the intangibles or instincts a person perceives. The intangible skills of likeability are difficult to score on a test but easy to see in terms of culture, relationships and the ability to teach and be taught. Having a high EQ can certainly create opportunities for a person but without also being competent, being likeable will only get you so far.
Naturally the ideal scenario is that a person have a high IQ and a high EQ. That is, the ability to understand logic, reasoning, abstract concepts, etc. AND to be likeable. Combining these two attributes is what truly separates certain people from others. Arguably, socially, we would rather be around people that are likeable than those that are just are extremely intelligent but less likeable. However, there are certain jobs or situations that will only call for one or the other. So the answer is, it depends on the situation. That said, you can work on your likeability where it is difficult to work on your comprehension and logic.
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