Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is a set of skills people use to read, understand, and react effectively to emotional signals sent by others and oneself[2]. These include skills like empathy, problem solving, optimism, and self-awareness.
These skills contribute to our level of emotional awareness. And despite what you might be thinking it’s EQ, not IQ, that is said to underpin many of the best decisions, most dynamic organisations and most satisfying and successful lives.[3]
IQ, a measure of a person’s natural ability or intelligence, is now thought to only contribute to 20% of success, whereas EQ, the ability to understand ourselves and interact with people, is thought to contribute a massive 80%[4].
Our workplaces are changing – greater diversity, use of technology, changing expectations from clients, greater focus on teamwork and collaboration. In this environment, emotional intelligence just might be what you need to create a competitive advantage and to enhance your career prospects.
Research suggests people with high EQ experience more career success, build stronger personal relations, lead more effectively and enjoy better health. EQ is also attributed to a more positive attitude, and is critical to effective leadership[5].
EQ is what can take you from being a great technically, to being a great technically and an exceptional manager, leading a strong team of happy employees.
A recent study found it also has financial benefits[6].
Researchers found that when individuals displayed Emotional Intelligence, and were able to read other’s emotions, they were likely to earn more than those with little to no emotional intelligence. 142 working adults were grouped based on there ability to identify emotional expressions. The same group was then ranked by their colleagues and supervisors on how social, influential, sincere and good at networking they were.
The study found that those who were able to identify emotions were also considered to be more socially and politically skilled. They also had a significantly higher income than those who scored low on the study’s emotional recognition test.
In a nutshell, those who were better at recognising others’ emotions were also able to influence and get along with people more effectively, which results in greater career success and a higher annual income.
Robert Sternberg, American psychologist and psychometrician, strongly believes to be successful you need both head and heart[7]. And when we try to separate the two, we pay a big price.
IQ is still a very critical and important factor in being able to fulfill the requirements of a position and is a key consideration for companies when recruiting.
However, it is EQ that is linked to the ability of people to retain their positions and to be successful in a role. In the words of an executive recruiter most organisations hire employees for their intelligence (IQ) and sack them because of their attitude (EQ).
Competency and capability of a workforce are strong and obvious determinants of a company’s success, but EQ is the point of difference that can help gain a competitive advantage[8].
The good news is that EQ competencies are learnable and you can train yourself to improve your ability to read, understand, and react more effectively to the emotional signals of yourself and those around you.
Keen to find out what your level of Emotional Intelligence is? call us today to access your EQ Assessment today?
[1] Nick Zeniuk is a former Ford executive, now known for his work in organisational performance and learning – Cooper, R., 1997, Applying Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace, Training and Development December 1997. p.32
[2] Romanelli, F., Cain, J., Smith, K., 2006, Emotional Intelligence as a Predictor of Academic and/or Professional Success American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education 2006; 70 (3)
[3] Cooper, R., 1997, Applying Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace, Training and Development December 1997, p.31
[4] Turner, L., 2004 Emotional intelligence – our intangible asset?, Chartered Accountants Journal April 2004, p.29, p.30
[5] Cooper, R., 1997, Applying Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace, Training and Development December 1997. p.32
[6] Momm, T., Blickle, G., Liu, Y., Wihler, A., Kholin, M., & Menges, J. I., 2014, It pays to have an eye for emotions: Emotion recognition ability indirectly predicts annual income. Journal of Organizational Behavior. 36 (1), p.147-163
[7] Cooper, R., 1997, Applying Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace, Training and Development December 1997. p.32
[8] Krishnaveni, R., & Deepa, R., 2001, Emotional Intelligence: A Soft Tool for Competitive Advantage in the Organizational Context, The IUP Journal of Soft Skills, 5 (2), p.51
