THE MEASURE FOR SUCCESS: EMOTIONAL OR INTELLIGENCE QUOTIENT

Bellforte consulting

What’s more important in determining life success—book smarts or street smarts? ​

Generally, people think that IQ is primarily taken into consideration when being appointed for leadership roles. However, it is believed that standard measures of intelligence (i.e. IQ scores) are too narrow and do not encompass the full range of human intelligence.​ EQ and IQ go hand in hand as they portray the emotional and intelligent capabilities of an individual. 

Emotional Intelligence (otherwise known as emotional quotient or EQ) is the ability to understand, use and manage your own emotions and understand the emotions of others, while Intelligence quotient, or IQ, is a number derived from a standardized Intelligence Test.

A high EQ helps you to manage stress, communicate effectively, empathize with others, defuse conflict and improve job satisfaction.​ EI is a vital skill for interpersonal communication and has become an area of interest across multiple disciplines, including the workplace. A workforce made up of emotionally intelligent individuals improves relationships within the team and helps to generate a positive work culture.  

Element of emotional intelligence

  1. Self-awareness: Self-awareness is about recognizing and understanding your emotions –what you’re feeling and why- as well as appreciating how they affect those around you. It is the basis of good intuition and decision-making, helping you to make the right choices in all aspects of life. It is also about knowing your strengths and weaknesses, and what is important to you- your values or morals. Therefore, understanding and accepting the way you feel is often the first step to overcoming it.
  2. Self-Management: Self-management refers to the ability to manage your emotions, particularly in stressful situations, and maintain a positive outlook despite setbacks. Leaders who lack self-management tend to react and have a harder time keeping their impulses in check. A reaction tends to be automatic. The more in tune you are with your emotional intelligence, however, the easier you can make the transition from reaction to response. It’s important to remember to pause, breathe, collect yourself, and do whatever it takes to manage your emotions—whether that means taking a walk or calling a friend—so that you can more appropriately and intentionally respond to stress and adversity.​
  3. Social Awareness: While it’s important to understand and manage your own emotions, you also need to know how to read a room. Social awareness describes your ability to recognize others’ emotions and the dynamics in play within your organization. G​oleman describes them as “friendliness with a purpose”, meaning everyone is treated politely and with respect. Our social skills impact the way others see and interact with us. Being able to interact well with others is another important aspect of emotional intelligence. Important social skills include: active listening, verbal communication skills, nonverbal communication skills, leadership and persuasiveness

Related Post: WHY EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE IS IMPORTANT IN LEADERSHIP

Benefit of Emotional intelligence in the workplace

  • Greater motivation among staff to understand their own emotions and those of their colleagues.
  • Healthy communication that produces common goals across the business and reduces conflict
  • Positive relationships and deeper connections between employees.
  • Flexibility; high EI means employees can respond to change effectively and handle any additional stress it brings.
  • Improved efficiencies with empathetic staff making decisions based on what is best for everyone involved.
  • Career progression, as staff with high EI are likely to excel in leadership positions

Emotional Intelligence is definitely a necessity in today’s competitive working environment. EI is a factor in personal and professional success and, unlike IQ which does not change significantly over a lifetime it allows for “continuous improvement” helping us to achieve our objectives.​

EI is contagious. Hiring emotionally intelligent staff or developing EI skills in existing employees can produce an even greater return. you want to develop emotional intelligence? click here

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