Have you ever been part of a team or group that worked well together, accomplished a great deal and was able to resolve conflicts and talk through challenges with ease? Or, have you ever worked for someone who was a very effective leader. Someone who provided direction, listened to others and was a great problem solver. 

These are just two examples of where individuals or groups used the skills commonly associated with emotional intelligence (EI). We see examples of well developed EI every day. It is in the small business owner who always greets customers by name and with a smile no matter how difficult the day has been. We also see it in the coworker who successfully negotiates with the demanding customer that everyone else has difficulty with.

The importance of knowing one's self and using this knowledge in relationships is an idea that has been around for centuries. Today, more and more individuals and organizations are realizing that a high IQ isn't enough to guarantee success in one's personal and professional life. Research is beginning to support the belief that emotions play a critical role in a person's reasoning and judgment abilities.

So what is emotional intelligence?

Emotional intelligence is the unique repertoire of emotional skills that a person uses to navigate the everyday challenges of life. In his book Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ, Daniel Goleman defines EI as the "capacity for recognizing our own feelings and those of others, for motivating ourselves, and for managing emotions well in ourselves and our relationships."

Emotional intelligence, on the most basic level, is the ability to accurately recognize and understand one's emotions and those of others. Emotional intelligence consists of three components: (1) an awareness of one's own emotional state and its impact on oneself and others, (2) an awareness of others' emotional states, and (3) the ability to manage and make use of that awareness. This capability helps people motivate themselves and understand how their emotions help or impede their interactions with others. Emotional intelligence is not a single ability. According to Daniel Goleman's model, emotional intelligence consists of personal and social competence. Personal competence determines how we manage ourselves and social competence determines how we handle our relationships. Under each competence Goleman defines the emotional intelligence competencies and skills.

How emotional intelligence assessment can strengthen your business:

Professional Development.

Emotional intelligence assessment will help an employee better understand their strengths and highlight areas that need development. The self-assessment allows the employee to get specific feedback on how their functioning compares on a standardized assessment. Combining the assessment with a feedback session from a skilled consultant will help the individual create a plan for enhancing performance and improving job satisfaction.

Leadership Assessment and Skill Building.

Many employers aggressively promote from within. The transition from a highly skilled technical position to a manager or leader, responsible for supervising others, will create new challenges and opportunities. As part of the training plan for a new manager or a manager that is assuming expanded responsibilities, assessing emotional intelligence can highlight vital skills that may need development.

Team Building.

Team emotional intelligence is also important. In addition to how individuals function, team function is a critical part of any successful business. Using specific methods and tools we can identify the skills and challenges of any size work group. This information can then be used to create a training plan that will improve performance, strengthen team identity and boost morale.

Recruiting and Promotion.

Selecting the right candidate can be a challenge. Worried that the person will not be assertive enough or will struggle with tough decisions? Consider adding emotional intelligence assessment to your standard interviewing protocol. Research has shown that more developed emotional intelligence and job success are highly linked.

What tools are available for assessing emotional intelligence?

To take the EQ-i® or learn more about how developing your emotional intelligence can improve your personal satisfaction and your work performance call Dennis Casey at 802-748-3868 or toll free 1-800-232-0131 to schedule an appointment.

Resources for learning more about emotional intelligence:

Books:

Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ by Daniel Goleman

Social Intelligence: The New Science of Relationships by Daniel Goleman

Working with Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman

The EQ Edge by Steven Stein and Howard Book

The Emotionally Intelligent Team by Marcia Hughes and James Bradford Terrell

Electronic Media: