2. EQ isn’t the enemy of IQ. It’s possible to have high levels of both. However,
life is an inherently sociable construct. Without the ability to function well
within this relational environment, it’s doubtful how far intelligence alone will
get you. As Theodore Roosevelt said: “No one cares how much you know,
until they know how much you care.” EQ is, in many ways, the essence of
being human.
Emotional Intelligence, and our ability to draw on it as a reserve, helps us in
so many ways: from assisting in looking after our physical and mental health
and well-being, through to our ability to inspire and lead. It’s there in our
ability to manage effective relationships and our armour and shield when it
comes to conflict resolution. It is, in so many ways, the driver of success.
IMPORTANCE OF EQ
3. EQ as a driver of success doesn’t just apply to our personal lives. It applies in
the workplace also. People with average IQ’s outperform those with the
highest IQs 70% of the time. Is EQ the reason? Whilst EQ and IQ aren’t
enemies, it is possible to have high levels of both, is EQ a better indicator of
success? Given that according to the Center for Creative Leadership, 75% of
careers are “derailed for reasons related to emotional competencies, including
inability to handle interpersonal problems; unsatisfactory team leadership
during times of difficulty or conflict; or inability to adapt to change or elicit
trust”, perhaps it is.
4. Your work life and career can be hugely affected by your EQ. Workplaces, in the
main, are relational environments. They are typically a melting pot of different
personalities, skills, strengths, and emotions. In amongst this is the purpose of the
business.
Therefore, EQ is intricately melded into each and every decision and action within
the workplace. It’s there in the basic instruction to your team, just as much as it’s
present in mass organisational change. Therefore, those with higher EQ typically
successfully navigate the workplace more effectively. EQ enables an individual to
build and drive successful teams, and to be agile and responsive as needed. They
therefore are successful.
Similarly, a lower level of EQ can be detrimental to the workplace. At its worst it
can be seen in bullying, harassment, and demotivated staff. It can present as
insensitivity, arrogance, or even aggression and volatility. Whereas a high EQ will
facilitate flexibility, low EQ will typically present as inflexibility and rigidity – a
dangerous tack for any business.
WHY IS EMOTIONAL
INTELLIGENCE IMPORTANT IN
THE WORKPLACE?
5. By understanding the value of EQ in the workplace, of course we want to be
able to identify it in candidates at the recruitment stage. However, back to the
original conundrum, you just can’t quantify EQ as neatly as you can do IQ
with academic achievement. Whilst there are many psychometric tests that aim
to identify EQ, the truth is it needs to be demonstrated in action. Therefore,
interview performance and references can actually give a greater indication of
EQ than any certificate can.
6. The concept of emotional intelligence has found a number of different
applications outside of the psychological research and therapy arenas.
Professional, educational, and community institutions have integrated different
aspects of the emotional intelligence philosophy into their organizations to
promote more productive working relationships, better outcomes, and enhanced
personal satisfaction.
In the workplace and in other organizational settings, the concept of emotional
intelligence has spawned an entire industry of EI consultants, testing materials,
and workshops. "People skills," another buzzword for emotional intelligence, has
long been recognized as a valued attribute in employees. The popularity of the EI
concept in business is easily explained—when employees, managers, and clients
have mutually rewarding personal relationships, productivity increases and profits
follow.
APPLICATIONS OF EQ
7. Educators and youth counselors who work with children try to help them
develop emotional self-awareness and the ability to recognize and positively
act on feelings. Emphasis on emotional intelligence in the classroom also
focuses on problem solving, conflict resolution, empathy, coping, and
communication skills, and is frequently implemented in violence-prevention
programs. Self-science, an educational curriculum developed in the 1970s by
educator Karen Stone McCown and psychologist Hal Dillehunt, was an early
forerunner of emotional intelligence. The program, which focused on
developing social and emotional skills to nurture unique learning styles and
life skills, is still in use today.
