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Published November 2009

Business Benefits of Emotional Intelligence

  John Myers and David Collins

The concepts of emotional intelligence (EQ) are not new, with research going back to the early part of the 20th century. Daniel Goleman, a Harvard-trained psychologist and writer, brought EQ into the mainstream with his 1995 book, Emotional Intelligence. The key premise of emotional intelligence is that EQ skills impact how effectively people work with others. However, a common criticism of EQ is that it sounds good in theory, but it's difficult to put into practice. And some proponents of EQ don't do a very good job of examining what it looks like in the day-to-day workplace or how it can be practiced and enhanced.

EQ skills are separate from a person's technical skills and cognitive abilities. They're directly linked to critical business measures and individual success, more so than traditional measures such as IQ. According to Goleman's research, 90 percent of the difference between star performers and average performers can be attributed to EQ. It's not that IQ and traditional factors are not important — clearly, they are. But IQ and various job-specific skills are essentially entry requirements, particularly in leadership and managerial positions.

Can People Become More Emotionally Intelligent?
 
Are people born with high EQ, or can it be learned? The truth is that some people will be more naturally gifted than others, but EQ skills can be learned. Some research shows that people can learn how to interact more effectively at work. Dr. Fabio Sala of The Hay Group found that workshop interventions are effective at improving EQ. A study at Case Western University found that EQ training not only improves performance, but that such gains are retained over many years.

So the good news for businesses is that while there may be a genetic predisposition toward EQ, these skills can be developed, and they tend to be retained for the long term. But these skills must be practiced and reinforced and coupled with a sincere desire to improve EQ.

The Core of Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence is composed of four main areas: self-awareness; self-management; social awareness; and relationship management.

Self-awareness: Self-awareness means having a clear understanding of one's emotions, strengths, weaknesses, drives and capabilities. People with a high degree of self-awareness tend to be very thoughtful; they take time to think about the things that are important to them and how their work and lives relate to those things. This self-reflection helps them to be aware of both their limitations and strengths, and they're candid about this.

Self-management: According to Goleman, self-management frees us from being prisoners of our emotions. Without understanding what we're feeling, we can't control our feelings, and this leaves us at the mercy of our emotions. This works for positive emotions like enthusiasm or success, but it's a problem if we're controlled by frustration or anxiety. People with good self-management are usually optimistic, upbeat and enthusiastic. This is particularly important in the workplace because emotions are contagious.

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