Something smart execs learn: Emotional intelligence

You are in a meeting when your colleague takes credit for your ideas. What do
you do?

Do you publicly confront the
person? Say nothing? Or
thank your colleague when
she has finished speaking,
then give more detail about
the issue, making clear it
was your idea?

Pamela Thorne American City Business Journals, Inc.

The last response is, of
course, the preferred one.

The emotionally intelligent
person is able to remain
calm in the face of
provocation and choose a
course of action that works
both in the long term and
the short term.

What is Emotional Intelligence?

Daniel Goleman, the author of the best-selling books, "Emotional Intelligence"
and "Working with Emotional Intelligence," is the person most responsible for the
new interest in emotional intelligence (EI).

His research showed that emotional
intelligence is twice as important as IQ and
technical skill combined when accounting for
outstanding performance. This applies at
almost every level of work.

"And the higher you go in the organization,
the more important these qualities are for
success," Goleman says. "When it comes to
leadership, they are almost everything."

His recent addition to the genre, "Primal
Leadership," clearly sets out the case for EI
for leaders.

The four dimensions of EI are self-awareness, social awareness,
self-management and relationship management.

What’s EI got to do with managing?

Goleman’s research in more than 500 organizations showed that EI accounts for
more than 85 percent of outstanding performance in top leaders and is a better
predictor of top performance than IQ.

Think about what you need to run a business successfully. You have to work with
other people: clients, employees, managers, partners. Relationships with these
people aren’t just incidental to business success; they are part and parcel of it.

And what does it take to deal with people? Knowledge of your own emotions, the
ability to manage those emotions, the ability to empathize with others, and the
ability to manage the ups and downs of the relationship.

Being successful in business also means being able to cope with setbacks and
remain optimistic and purposeful even when things are not going well.

EI does not mean giving free rein to your feelings, nor does it mean you have to
be "soft" or "emotional."

The ability to confront someone truthfully and clearly is a key skill of EI, as is the
ability to deal with conflicts in an open and up-front manner.

In one study, supervisors in a manufacturing plant received training in emotional
competencies such as how to listen and how to help employees resolve
problems on their own.

After the training, lost-time accidents were halved, formal grievances were
reduced from an average of 15 per year to three per year, and the plant exceeded
productivity goals by $250,000.

In another piece of extended research by the Center for Creative Leadership in
Greensboro, N.C., the primary causes of career derailment in executives were
found to be deficits in emotional competence.

This group measured the same as their peers in terms of skills, IQ and
education. What they lacked, however, was the ability to work in a team,
flexibility and interpersonal skills. Instead of their careers taking off as their
qualifications suggested, they were either fired, forced to quit, or sidelined into
dead-end jobs.

Can you learn EI?

"Unlike IQ, which some argue doesn’t change throughout life, emotional
intelligence can be developed," Goleman says. "It’s a neurological fact that the
brain is plastic throughout life; brain structures and circuits shape themselves
through repeated experience. You can discipline yourself and get better at things
you once weren’t good at."

In fact, emotional intelligence tends to increase through each decade of life. It’s
what we used to call maturity — how we handle ourselves and other people. You
get better at it as you age.

Even if you feel you fall behind on some measures of EI, don’t despair. The good
news is that you can always improve.

The starting point is a recognition of the benefits of EI and a desire to improve.
Get to know your strengths and build on them. Think about the skills you want to
work on: empathy? optimism? listening?

The next step is to create an informal self-development plan and seek out
opportunities to experiment with, and practice, the new behaviors. You may well
feel uncomfortable and awkward at your first attempt, so start with low-risk
situations and gradually increase the gradient.

Get feedback from others. Monitor your progress.

How can you hire for EI?

If you want your business to benefit from EI, it’s smart to hire with this quality in
mind.

Don’t focus just on skills, education or personality fit. You want the right people
on the bus, all sitting in the right seats — and it starts with hiring.

Research by the Hay Group, a large placement firm, showed that sales staff hired
by a national furniture retailer for their emotional intelligence had half the dropout
rate during their first year of those recruited in the regular way.

The Hay Group also reports that computer sales representatives hired for their
emotional competence were 90 percent more likely to finish their training than
those hired on other criteria.

In the interview process, probe for EI competencies such as conflict-resolution
skills and the ability to handle setbacks. How well does this candidate function in
a team environment?

Research at a telecommunications company showed that star performers had a
large informal network of people they could call on. By getting the support of
others, they were able to achieve greater output more quickly — even in the world
of high tech.

The business case for EI is growing all the time. Take advantage of this
fascinating field of research that gives every business owner or manager greater
leverage for improving bottom-line performance.

Pamela Thorne is a principal in Annapolis-based People Skills Consulting, which
provides management training in communication and leadership. E-mail:
[email protected] Phone: 410/923-2891

http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2002/07/22/focus9.html