EI: The Workplace Intelligence
In school the focus was always on academic Intelligence. What kind of grades did you make? How well did you score on the SAT? But there was another kind of intelligence we were all developing between learning algebra and chemistry– emotional intelligence. What our teachers did not tell us was that emotional intelligence is every bit as important as plain old intelligence in the workplace.
Although there is no one agreed upon definition, emotional intelligence describes a concept that involves the ability, capacity, or skill, to identify, assess, and manage the emotions of one’s self and of others. There is also disagreement among researchers regarding whether emotional intelligence is innate or learned.
Despite the difficulty in operationalizing emotional intelligence, companies have identified EI as an important component of the hiring process. Put simply, it is the way in which people are or are not able to relate to one another in a positive and productive manner inside the workplace. Although at first thought some do not perceive EI as important as experience, if given a moment to conjure up thoughts of problematic coworkers they start to rethink their position. The tasks associated with just about any job can be taught to someone over time. But the ability to productively interact with other employees and customers is not always as easy to teach.
Just as with trait-based assessments, the degree of EI needed will be different for each position. Companies have a variety of ways to measure EI. Some use EQ assessments, which provide a measurement just like an IQ test. Others are more subtle in their approach and identify EI through structured interviews. Let’s take the example of applying for a leadership role. An ideal candidate should be very good at recognizing his or her own emotions and the emotions of others. Additionally, the ideal candidate will be able to regulate his or her own emotions and influence the emotions of others. A leader who is very low in these areas will inadvertently create barriers by flying off the handle at staff without truly understanding why, by not being able to read when colleagues or direct reports are uncomfortable or in opposition to an idea, and the list goes on and on. Subsequently, these areas of deficiency cause a breakdown in future communication and ultimately affect the work environment. Potentially most important is the influential dimension a leader possesses. If he or she cannot appropriately influence the emotions of staff the result could be a lack in production.
