1st Edition

Emotional Intelligence and Public Relations EQ is the New IQ

Edited By Weiwu Zhang Copyright 2026
212 Pages 2 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

212 Pages 2 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

Emotional intelligence, often referred to as emotional quotient (EQ), has emerged as a critical soft skill in public relations (PR), proven essential for performance, leadership, and fostering collaborative organizational cultures. Despite its importance, EQ remains understudied in PR contexts. This groundbreaking volume presents the first comprehensive collection of cutting-edge research and... Read more

Chapter 1

Introduction: Emotional Intelligence and Public Relations

Weiwu Zhang

Chapter 2

The Vital Role of Emotional Intelligence for Public Relations Roles, Leadership, and the Profession

Melissa Dodd

Chapter 3

Emotional Intelligence and Internal Communication

Silvia Ravazzani and Alessandra Mazzei

Chapter 4

Emotional Intelligence and the Power of Self-Reflection in Public Relations Leadership

Elina Erzikova and Bruce Berger

Chapter 5

Listening as a “Secret Weapon:” How Emotional Intelligence and Mindfulness Drive Public Relations Outcomes

Zifei Fay Chen and Katie Place

Chapter 6

Emotional Intelligence and Intercultural Public Relations

Lan Ni and Zahra T. Khan

Chapter 7

An Integrated Model of Emotional Intelligence and Work-Life Balance in Public Relations

Yi Luo, Dongdong Yang, and Hua Jiang

Chapter 8

Integrating Emotional Intelligence with Various Theoretical Perspectives in Health Public Relations

Pratiti Diddi, Sushma Kumble, and Sojung Claire Kim

Chapter 9

Emotional Intelligence and Crisis Communication

Jin-Ae Kang

Chapter 10

Human-Centered Public Relations: Harnessing Emotional Intelligence to Drive Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Savannah Henderson and Luke Capizzo

Chapter 11

How Listening and Emotional Intelligence Enhance: Workplace Relationships and Outcomes

Julie O’Neil

Chapter 12

Emotional Intelligence and Social Capital in Public Relations: The Entanglement of Emotion Management and Organizational Relationships

Jeannette Iannacone and Erich Sommerfeldt

Chapter 13

Emotional Intelligence and Public Relations in the Future

Weiwu Zhang

Biography

Weiwu Zhang, PhD, is Professor of Strategic Communication and Associate Dean in the College of Communication, Information, and Media at Ball State University. He was Research Chair of the Public Relations Division of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC). He also served as editor for Communication Booknotes Quarterly, a book notes and book review journal published by the Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group. His research examines political public relations and political communication. His current scholarship centers on emotional intelligence and public relations, emotional intelligence and academic leadership in higher education. Zhang has published about 40 journal articles and book chapters on political public relations, political communication, and emotional intelligence and public relations in leading refereed journals such as the Journal of Public Relations Research, Public Relations Review, the International Journal of Strategic Communication, Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly, and Communication Research, among others.