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Improving the "Smarts"
that Count: Emotional Intelligence vs. IQ
Step into the Future | by Brenda Miller
Social and personal competencies are vital for a healthy and productive personal
and work life. As the world becomes more complex and interdependent, so does the
way we interact with others, especially in work, as communication is easily misinterpreted.
Research shows that for jobs of all kinds, emotional intelligence (EI) is twice as
important as IQ plus technical skills, and is more than 85 percent of what sets star
performers apart from the average. Leaders stand out not only by personal achievement,
but also by their capacity to work well on teams and with people. Business leaders,
specifically executives, today cannot lead in isolation, but instead must tap into
the collective knowledge and expertise of their colleagues.
When Daniel Goleman's best-selling book Emotional Intelligence was first published
in 1995, most readers were not aware that the area of emotional and social competence
has been the subject of scientific study and research since the 1980s. Dr. Reuven
Bar-On, an American-born Israeli psychologist and founding director of the Institute
of Applied Intelligence in Denmark, coined the term "EQ" (Emotional Quotient)
in 1985 to describe his approach to assessing this aspect of general and social intelligence.
A growing body of research suggests that emotional intelligence is a better predictor
of "success" than the more traditional measures of cognitive intelligence
(IQ). True leadership goes beyond IQ. It requires self-awareness, self-management,
social awareness, and relationship management -- competencies known as emotional
intelligence.
If a person has a high IQ, it does not mean that they also have EI. There is no correlation.
Many intelligent people who were tested with high IQ since childhood lack emotional,
communicative and psychological skills. This is due to a number of factors, mostly
stemming from childhood.
Basics of Emotional Intelligence
These emotional intelligence skills, combined with empathy, can enhance satisfaction
and productivity at work and in other aspects of life. The work place is the ideal
setting for the promotion of these competencies, because work plays a central role
in our lives. Not only do most of us spend the largest portion of our waking time
at work, but also our identity, self-esteem and well-being are strongly affected
by our work experiences.
The cornerstones of EI are:
-- Knowing your feelings and using them to make life and career decisions
-- Being able to manage your emotions and not being paralyzed by depression or worry,
or swept away by anger
-- Persisting in the face of setbacks and channeling your impulses in order to pursue
personal and company goals
-- Empathy -- reading other people's emotions without them having to tell you what
they are feeling
-- Handling feelings in relationships with skill and harmony -- being able to articulate
the unspoken pulse of a group
Benefits to Emotional Intelligence
Research shows that there is a strong correlation between emotional intelligence
and job performance. EI may be even more important in company work teams that establish
mutual trust among members, a sense of group identity, and a sense of group efficiency.
These three group conditions are essential to a team's effectiveness, because they
are the foundation for true participation, collaboration and cooperation -- helping
otherwise skilled teams fulfill their highest potential, make better decisions and
more creative solutions.
Some of the world's most respected organizations, such as Visa, Chrysler, American
Express and McDonnell Douglas, among many others, implement and benefit from this
knowledge.
EI assessments are used by some organizations to improve hiring and promotion decisions,
and for screening as part of the recruiting process to aid in identifying potentially
successful employees. They are also used in identifying emotional and social skills
that are important to develop in employee training programs, team building, and in
enhancing managerial competencies at work. Simply, EI can identify those who are
excellent managers -- leaders with the people skills that turn a group into a team
and to help others develop these critical skills.
The work place also is an ideal place for promoting social and emotional competencies,
because it often is there that people feel their lack most keenly. When people realize
that social and emotional abilities hold the key to greater career success, they
become eager to develop those abilities. At the same time, as employers recognize
that their profit depends on the emotional intelligence of their employees, they
become amenable to launching programs that will increase it.
However, you do not have to wait until adulthood to hone emotional intelligence.
By adulthood it is often too late because of developmental patterns that have been
set, unless a person wants to change and develop new skills. Through assessments
and ability tests, EI workshops and personal development, an individual's EI can
improve.
It is best to introduce and develop EI in early developmental years. What would happen
in schools if as much time was spent on developing a child's emotional ability as
their intellect? What if we created a whole generation of children who developed
cooperation, collaboration and team skills? It would create a new paradigm of human
behavior that could fundamentally change the world.
Can you imagine a world where empathy and concern for another's feelings was a common
norm? As John Lennon once sang, "it's easy if you try."
Brenda Miller is a forecaster and whole-systems design strategist. As a Certified
Master Professional Futurist, and Certified Trainer in Emotional Intelligence, she
specializes and helps people, businesses, and organizations see, understand, and
respond to change so they can creatively design a brighter future. Ms. Miller is
President and Chief Global Strategist of New Crotona, a Futures-based consultancy
providing services in futuring, strategic messaging, vision and mission design, team
building, leadership coaching, and Internet business solutions and website development. She is president of the Minnesota
Futurists Association and a Professional Member of the World Futurists. For more
information, contact her at (651) 731-4037 or e-mail brenda@newcrotona.com, and visit
www.NewCrotona.com.
Copyright 2005 Brenda Miller. All Rights Reserved. |
| April 2005 |
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