The development of CQ as a theory and a concept can be traced back to the challenging of IQ as fully explaining cognitive ability in 1983, by Howard Gardner with his Theory of multiple intelligences. In Gardner’s view, traditional types of intelligence, such as IQ, fail to fully explain cognitive ability. The development of CQ is part of the trend to analyse and fully understand human intelligence, a trend led by Daniel Goleman’s emotional intelligence and social intelligence. As explained by Mario de Vries: one can be very intelligent, if you can not explain it it’s worthless; one can be very emotional, if you can not explain it it’s useless. Hence, you need CQ to activate your IQ and EQ. They only have impact in the relation to others.
