This study examines whether Taiwanese managers without emotional intelligence (EI) training interpret EI differently from EI instructors. Results showed that Taiwanese EI instructors adopt individual-oriented North American EI concepts that emphasize intrapersonal emotion management skills for understanding, displaying, and managing emotions and regard EI as the skill of being oneself. In contrast, Taiwanese managers were social-oriented and interpreted EI as interpersonal emotion management skills that emphasize inner emotion cultivation such as integrity and selflessness, consideration and caring, and keeping peaceful feelings under stress. They also believe that EI is similar to renqing shiku, a traditional Chinese social intelligence concept emphasizing the ability to cater to others’ needs and have harmonious relationships. Results re-discussed in terms of interpersonal relations.