The interpersonal realm of emotional intelligence

If self-perception is knowing ourselves, and self-expression is letting ourselves be known, then the interpersonal realm is where those two meet the world. It is the space between people, where understanding, compassion, and shared purpose turn emotion into connection.

In the EQ-i model, this realm includes three capacities: interpersonal relationships, empathy, and social responsibility. Together they determine how we relate to others, how we understand what they feel, and how we contribute to something larger than ourselves.

Healthy relationships begin with trust and compassion. They grow through openness, the willingness to give and receive care, to listen as much as to speak, and to allow others to see us as we are. When these relationships are mutual, they become a source of meaning and resilience. We are shaped by the people who stand beside us.

Empathy deepens this bond. It is more than sympathy or kindness; it is the discipline of stepping into another’s world without losing our own footing. To be empathic is to see both the surface and the depth of another person’s emotion, and to respond in ways that honour their experience. It requires attention, humility, and the courage to be moved.

Social responsibility widens the circle further. It asks not only how we care for individuals, but how we serve the whole. Acting responsibly means recognising our part in the systems we inhabit, such as teams, organisations, and communities, and choosing to add rather than deplete. It is compassion in action, guided by conscience.

When these three capacities work together, relationships become more than transactions. They become partnerships that build trust, belonging, and shared growth. We learn that emotional intelligence is not only about personal insight or expression; it is about connection that sustains both self and others.

The invitation of the interpersonal realm is this: let empathy guide you, let responsibility ground you, and let relationship remind you that we become ourselves through one another.

This is the third of a series of pages on Emotional Intelligence based on the MHS EQi model