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Interpersonal intelligence is the ability to understand and interact effectively with others. This includes the ability to perceive and respond to other people’s emotions, motivations, and social cues and the ability to build strong empathy and maintain effective communication with others.
How common is interpersonal intelligence in the general population? Is it rare and what are the major characteristics of this intelligence type?
My updated interpersonal intelligence statistics guide for 2025 has everything you need to know.
Use this jump link to quickly jump to the KEY STATS section.
Also, all the references and resources I used in crafting my guide are listed at the bottom of the page.
Jump here: Key Interpersonal Intelligence Statistics, Facts and Trends| Interpersonal Intelligence Statistics, Facts and Trends for This Year (Detailed Info)
Table of Contents
Key Interpersonal Intelligence Statistics, Facts and Trends
Key Interpersonal Intelligence Statistics, Facts and Trends for 2025
- Emotional intelligence (EQ) accounts for approximately 58% of professional success across all job types. (Source)
- People with high interpersonal intelligence are 90% more likely to be effective leaders in organizational settings. Also, people who can accurately read emotional cues are 33% more effective in leadership roles. (Source)
- Approximately 71% of employers value emotional intelligence more than technical skills when considering promotions and approximately 67% of human resources professionals consider emotional intelligence a critical hiring criterion. (Source)
- About 49% of workplace productivity is influenced by team members’ interpersonal abilities and individuals with high interpersonal intelligence are 40% more likely to maintain long-term personal and professional relationships. (Source)
- Professionals who invest in developing their interpersonal skills see an average 20% improvement in job performance. Also worth noting is that professionals with strong interpersonal skills are 60% more adaptable in cross-cultural work environments. (Source)
- People who are empathetic (a key aspect of interpersonal intelligence) are 50% more likely to be considered excellent team players. (Source)
- Organizations with employees high in interpersonal intelligence experience 22% lower turnover rates. (Source)
- Roughly 57% of employers provide some form of emotional intelligence training to their employees. (Source)
- Approximately 61% of clients prefer working with professionals who demonstrate high emotional intelligence. (Source)
- Studies show that individuals with strong interpersonal skills earn an average of 29% more than their peers with lower interpersonal intelligence. People with higher interpersonal intelligence also earn 36% more money on average than their peers with low interpersonal but high intrapersonal intelligence. (Source)
- People with high interpersonal intelligence are 38% more likely to successfully navigate complex social and professional networks. (Source)
- Around 62% of workplace conflicts are directly attributed to poor communication and low interpersonal skills. (Source)
- Only 36% of people can accurately identify and name their emotions in real-time. (Source)
- Nearly 75% of career derailments stem from poor interpersonal skills rather than technical incompetence. (Source)
- About 45% of job success depends on emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills. (Source)
- Roughly 83% of conversations are remembered more for how they’re said rather than what is actually said. (Source)
- Women tend to score 3-5 points higher than men on standard emotional intelligence assessments. (Source)
- Approximately 66% of people struggle with active listening, a critical component of interpersonal intelligence. (Source)
- Around 40% of individuals cannot accurately read non-verbal communication cues. (Source)
- Approximately 52% of customer satisfaction is directly linked to the emotional intelligence of service representatives. (Source)
- Children who develop interpersonal intelligence early are 35% more likely to have successful social interactions in adulthood. (Source)
- About 68% of successful negotiations are attributed to emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills. (Source)
- Individuals with high interpersonal intelligence are 45% more likely to effectively manage stress in high-pressure environments. (Source)
- Around 72% of interpersonal communication is non-verbal. (Source)
- Students with developed interpersonal intelligence are 28% more likely to achieve academic success. (Source)
- Nearly 55% of long-term relationship success is attributed to emotional understanding and communication skills. (Source)
Interpersonal Intelligence Statistics, Facts and Trends for This Year (Detailed Info)
What Impact Does Interpersonal Intelligence Have on Leadership?
People with high interpersonal intelligence are 90% more likely to be effective leaders in organizational settings. (Source)
Another study showed that people who can accurately read emotional cues are 33% more effective in leadership roles. (Source)
How Do Employers Value Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace?
Approximately 71% of employers value emotional intelligence more than technical skills when considering promotions. (Source) Approximately 67% of human resources professionals consider emotional intelligence a critical hiring criterion. (Source)
How Does Interpersonal Intelligence Affect Earning Potential?
Studies show that individuals with strong interpersonal skills earn an average of 29% more than their peers with lower interpersonal intelligence. (Source)
The same study (I link to it in the footer of the page) showed that people with higher interpersonal intelligence earn 36% more money on average than their peers with low interpersonal but high intrapersonal intelligence. (Source)
How Do Interpersonal Skills Affect Workplace Productivity?
About 49% of workplace productivity is influenced by team members’ interpersonal abilities and individuals with high interpersonal intelligence are 40% more likely to maintain long-term personal and professional relationships. (Source)
Are There Gender Differences in Emotional Intelligence?
Women tend to score 3-5 points higher than men on standard emotional intelligence assessments. (Source)
And only 36% of people can accurately identify and name their emotions in real-time. (Source) And around 40% of individuals cannot accurately read non-verbal communication cues (also worth knowing is that children who develop interpersonal intelligence early are 35% more likely to have successful social interactions in adulthood). (Source)
Significant percentage of people with low interpersonal intelligence in the workplace setting causes problems.
Around 62% of workplace conflicts are directly attributed to poor communication and low interpersonal skills. (Source)
How Do Interpersonal Skills Affect Workplace Retention?
Organizations with employees high in interpersonal intelligence experience 22% lower turnover rates. Higher employee retention rates are crucial for long term health and success of any business. (Source)
How Does Empathy Contribute to Team Dynamics?
People who are empathetic (a key aspect of interpersonal intelligence) are 50% more likely to be considered excellent team players. (Source)
In fact, emotional intelligence (EQ) accounts for approximately 58% of professional success across all job types. (Source)
What Improvement Can Be Seen by Developing Interpersonal Skills?
Professionals who invest in developing their interpersonal skills see an average 20% improvement in job performance. (Source)
People with high interpersonal intelligence are also 38% more likely to successfully navigate complex social and professional networks. (Source)
What Influences Customer Satisfaction Most?
Approximately 52% of customer satisfaction is directly linked to the emotional intelligence of service representatives. (Source) And approximately 61% of clients prefer working with professionals who demonstrate high emotional intelligence. (Source)
About 68% of successful negotiations are attributed to emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills. (Source)
To increase conversions and reduce churn roughly 57% of employers provide some form of emotional intelligence training to their employees. (Source)
How Do Interpersonal Skills Help Manage Stress?
Individuals with high interpersonal intelligence are 45% more likely to effectively manage stress in high-pressure environments. (Source)
For example, interpersonal students are 28% more likely to achieve academic success than their intrapersonal peers. (Source)
This is attributed to the fact that people with intrapersonal intelligence hide their problem and worries (and this causes extra stress); while interpersonal students share their problem, relive stress and often get help to remove their issues completely.
What Contributes to Long-Term Relationship Success?
Nearly 55% of long-term relationship success is attributed to emotional understanding and communication skills. (Source)
Interpersonal Intelligence: Statistics, Facts and Trends Guide for 2025 (FAQ)
What is Interpersonal Intelligence (Definition and Meaning)?
Interpersonal intelligence is the ability to understand and interact effectively with others. This includes the ability to perceive and respond to other people’s emotions, motivations, and social cues and the ability to build strong empathy and maintain effective communication with others.
What are Some Examples and Characteristics of Interpersonal Intelligence?
Key characteristics and examples of interpersonal intelligence are:
- Strong communication skills. Being able to clearly express thoughts and feelings while also effectively interpreting others’ communication.
- Active listening. Paying close attention to what others are saying, showing genuine interest, and asking clarifying questions.
- Empathy. The ability to understand and share the feelings of others.
- Social awareness. Recognizing social cues and adapting behavior accordingly to different situations.
- Relationship building. Easily forming connections with others and maintaining positive relationships.
- Conflict resolution. Effectively navigating disagreements and finding solutions that work for everyone involved.
- Leadership potential. Inspiring and motivating others to achieve common goals.
How Does a Person With High Interpersonal Intelligence Behave?
A person with high interpersonal intelligence typically behaves by being highly attuned to the emotions and needs of others. They communicate effectively, build relationships with ease, show empathy and understanding different perspectives of other people.
A person with high interpersonal intelligence is very skillful at navigating social situations, often acting as a natural leader or mediator in group settings.
Interpersonal vs Intrapersonal Intelligence. Which is Better?
Neither interpersonal nor intrapersonal intelligence is definitively “better” as both are equally important for different aspects of life. They’re different types of intelligence service different purposes in life.
Interpersonal Intelligence focuses on understanding and relating to others, including their emotions, motivations, and behaviors; key skills include empathy, communication, and social awareness.
Intrapersonal Intelligence focuses on self-awareness, understanding your own thoughts, feelings, and motivations; key skills include self-reflection, goal setting, and emotional regulation.
What are Some Careers and Jobs Where People With High Interpersonal Intelligence Excel at?
Careers and jobs good for people with high interpersonal intelligence are:
- teacher;
- counselor;
- social worker;
- salesperson;
- politician;
- psychologist;
- customer service representative;
- human resources professional;
- coach;
- community organizer;
- etc.
Basically, any career or job that requires strong communication skills, empathy, and the ability to understand and relate to others effectively is suitable for people with high interpersonal intelligence.
What are Some Famous Persons with Interpersonal Intelligence?
Some famous people often cited as having high interpersonal intelligence are Mahatma Gandhi, Oprah Winfrey, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr., Mother Teresa, Ronald Reagan, Larry King and many more.
These people all demonstrated strong abilities to understand and relate to others, often influencing people through their communication and leadership skills.
Interpersonal Intelligence: Statistics, Facts and Trends Guide for 2025 (Conclusion)
My updated guide for 2025 lists the best and latest statistics, facts and trends about interpersonal intelligence and how to best understand yourself if you’re a social person who thrives in good company.
I hope you enjoyed it because the guide is now over.
References:
- A STUDY ON THE LEVEL OF INTERPERSONAL INTELLIGENCE OF HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN KERALA- https://ymerdigital.com/uploads/YMER2201I0.pdf
- Interpersonal Intelligence- https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/management/interpersonal-intelligence/
- Interpersonal Intelligence- https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/psychology/interpersonal-intelligence
- INTERPERSONAL INTELLIGENCE ASSESSMENT THEORY STUDENT EVALUATION OF COOPERATIVE LEARNING: THE INTERPERSONAL INTELLIGENCE INVENTORY- https://www.public.asu.edu/~rdstrom/IIITheory.html
- THE CORRELATION BETWEEN INTERPERSONAL INTELLIGENCE AND STUDENT’S ENGLISH ACHIEVEMENT OF THE SEVENTH GRADE OF SMPN I SIMAN IN ACADEMIC YEARS 2014/2015- https://etheses.iainponorogo.ac.id/6392/1/Harmiah.pdf
- Interpersonal Intelligence: A Strengthening in Efforts to Improve Student Learning Achievement- https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3824493
- Theory of multiple intelligences- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_multiple_intelligences
- Interpersonal intelligence: what is it and how to develop it in the classroom?- https://additioapp.com/en/interpersonal-intelligence-what-is-it-and-how-to-develop-it-in-the-classroom/
- 10 Interpersonal Intelligence Examples (Plus Pros & Cons)- https://helpfulprofessor.com/interpersonal-intelligence-examples-pros-cons/
Nikola Roza
Nikola Roza is a blogger behind Nikola Roza- SEO for the Poor and Determined. He writes for bloggers who don't have huge marketing budget but still want to succeed. Nikola is passionate about precious metals IRAs and how to invest in gold and silver for a safer financial future. Learn about Nikola here.