Older generations lead in Self-Management

Line chart of the four skills across Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X and Baby Boomers

What the data shows

Overall EQ rises with each older generation: Gen Z 73.9, Millennials 74.6, Gen X 75.2, Baby Boomers 75.6.
Self-Management drives the difference, rising 4.1 points from Gen Z (71.8) to Boomers (75.8).
Social Awareness runs the other way: Gen Z scores 75.0, the highest of any generation.
Age is recorded in ten-year bands, so generations are estimated. Within six years of data, we cannot tell whether these are generational differences or simply what comes with age and experience.

What it means

Managing your reactions tends to come with experience, while reading the room is a relative strength for younger people. Each generation has something to teach the others.

Source: 731,369 Emotional Intelligence Appraisal self-assessments, 2021–2026. Scores are on a 0–100 scale.