Gone are the days when young managers with hard work and high IQ's could get promoted. A concept called EI has found a remarkable place in many organizations and is catching up with the rest. Here's how?
This was an article that I had read in 2002, but it is still relevant even today
A Fortune Magazine investigation revealed that 40% of new management hires fail within their first 18 months. This investigation also revealed that this failure was attributed to their inability to build good relationships. Fortune's investigation ascribed this failure to the low EQ (Emotional Quotient) of managers, a term coined by Daniel Goleman.
What is EQ?
It is the ability of an individual to deal with other people, manage oneself, motivate others, understand one's own feelings and appropriately respond to the everyday environment successfully.
Simply put, EQ is used interchangeably with EI (emotional intelligence). According to Dalip Singh author of "Emotional Intelligence at Work- a professional guide", the different levels of EI are neither genetically fixed, nor do they develop during early childhood. EI is largely learnt, developed throughout life and conditioned by life's experience.
Why is it important?
Let's take the case of Robin Wilson who joined an MNC believing that good academic record and hard work would help him achieve his career goals. Within two years, he got fired. He believed that his hard work produced results and was shocked to know that he had problems handling employees and failed to be an effective team player.
Debra Benton, the author of "Lions Don't Need to Roar", learnt that people who are incapable of understanding and relating to others have a very short life cycle in jobs. According to her, the crucial factor that differentiates high-powered professionals from others is a high level of EI, compassion and energy to function in a team environment.
The rules of work are constantly changing and new yardsticks are being used to evaluate employees. Decisions regarding hiring and firing employees and retaining, sidelining or promoting them are also based on this. Today's corporate world uses IQ as a criterion for recruitment, and EQ for promotions. EI helps decide the most likely employee to be promoted.
Emotional intelligence can be instrumental in many situations at workplace and can help achieve organisational effectiveness. High EQ is essential to take the right decisions and solve problems.
Benefits
High EQ can lead to
- Increased productivity
- Enhanced leadership skills
- Improved responsiveness
- Greater creativity
- Create enthusiastic work environments
- Reduce stress levels
- Resolve emotional issues
- Improve the well being of employees
- Improve relationships
EQ serves as a valuable tool for HR professionals and managers who intend to bring about changes in their organisations. Managers who can use the applications of EI help employees become better team players, show greater creativity in their work and increase overall productivity through the powerful techniques of integrating and applying emotional intelligence at workplace.
Having the ability to understand what motivates individual employees, an EI manager adapts management style to their unique values and motives.
Bridging the gap
College courses do not address the importance of soft skills and that has cost many an employee a hard earned job. Nevertheless, organisations have started EQ training to bridge this gap. The Consortium for Research launched a training programme on EI at American Express. It found that:
- Managers increased their business by 18.1% as against 16.2% who did not receive the training
- In tasks involving sales and mechanical skills, employees with high EI were found to be 12 times more productive than the others
- Insurance professional and account managers with high EI were 127% more productive
Conclusion
Since managers need to lead by example, they should be capable enough to model right behaviours. The concept and applications of EI facilitate this. EI is a learned behaviour and organisations can benefit from them by incorporating it in their management training programmes.
EI is here to stay!
From India, New Delhi
8This was an article that I had read in 2002, but it is still relevant even today
A Fortune Magazine investigation revealed that 40% of new management hires fail within their first 18 months. This investigation also revealed that this failure was attributed to their inability to build good relationships. Fortune's investigation ascribed this failure to the low EQ (Emotional Quotient) of managers, a term coined by Daniel Goleman.
What is EQ?
It is the ability of an individual to deal with other people, manage oneself, motivate others, understand one's own feelings and appropriately respond to the everyday environment successfully.
Simply put, EQ is used interchangeably with EI (emotional intelligence). According to Dalip Singh author of "Emotional Intelligence at Work- a professional guide", the different levels of EI are neither genetically fixed, nor do they develop during early childhood. EI is largely learnt, developed throughout life and conditioned by life's experience.
Why is it important?
Let's take the case of Robin Wilson who joined an MNC believing that good academic record and hard work would help him achieve his career goals. Within two years, he got fired. He believed that his hard work produced results and was shocked to know that he had problems handling employees and failed to be an effective team player.
Debra Benton, the author of "Lions Don't Need to Roar", learnt that people who are incapable of understanding and relating to others have a very short life cycle in jobs. According to her, the crucial factor that differentiates high-powered professionals from others is a high level of EI, compassion and energy to function in a team environment.
The rules of work are constantly changing and new yardsticks are being used to evaluate employees. Decisions regarding hiring and firing employees and retaining, sidelining or promoting them are also based on this. Today's corporate world uses IQ as a criterion for recruitment, and EQ for promotions. EI helps decide the most likely employee to be promoted.
Emotional intelligence can be instrumental in many situations at workplace and can help achieve organisational effectiveness. High EQ is essential to take the right decisions and solve problems.
Benefits
High EQ can lead to
- Increased productivity
- Enhanced leadership skills
- Improved responsiveness
- Greater creativity
- Create enthusiastic work environments
- Reduce stress levels
- Resolve emotional issues
- Improve the well being of employees
- Improve relationships
EQ serves as a valuable tool for HR professionals and managers who intend to bring about changes in their organisations. Managers who can use the applications of EI help employees become better team players, show greater creativity in their work and increase overall productivity through the powerful techniques of integrating and applying emotional intelligence at workplace.
Having the ability to understand what motivates individual employees, an EI manager adapts management style to their unique values and motives.
Bridging the gap
College courses do not address the importance of soft skills and that has cost many an employee a hard earned job. Nevertheless, organisations have started EQ training to bridge this gap. The Consortium for Research launched a training programme on EI at American Express. It found that:
- Managers increased their business by 18.1% as against 16.2% who did not receive the training
- In tasks involving sales and mechanical skills, employees with high EI were found to be 12 times more productive than the others
- Insurance professional and account managers with high EI were 127% more productive
Conclusion
Since managers need to lead by example, they should be capable enough to model right behaviours. The concept and applications of EI facilitate this. EI is a learned behaviour and organisations can benefit from them by incorporating it in their management training programmes.
EI is here to stay!
From India, New Delhi
What u have written about EI at work is 100% true. And I would also like to add that we are specialised in conducting Training on Emotional Intelligence at Work aiming in an emotionally intelligent organisation.
We customize the program according to needs and conduct periodic reviews on the same.
If there is any requirement for training on Emotional Intelligence please feel free to contact me at 9841081996
Happy Diwali to all
Regards
Rupa
Talent Manager
Variant consultancy services.
98410 81996
From India, Madras
We customize the program according to needs and conduct periodic reviews on the same.
If there is any requirement for training on Emotional Intelligence please feel free to contact me at 9841081996
Happy Diwali to all
Regards
Rupa
Talent Manager
Variant consultancy services.
98410 81996
From India, Madras
If the concept of Emotional Intelligence of interest to anyone....check out:
Emotional Intelligence Consoritum - Articles, Research and Information on Emotional Intelligence
It has tonns of info and research about EQ in the workplace.
Enjoy
Anusha
Emotional Intelligence Consoritum - Articles, Research and Information on Emotional Intelligence
It has tonns of info and research about EQ in the workplace.
Enjoy
Anusha
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