Uh-Oh. Another HR Issue? Emotional Intelligence - The Missing Link
- GeGe Beall, SPHR
- Jan 26, 2017
- 4 min read
So, the person you just hired is already upsetting the rest of your staff. Aggressive, cocky, inflexible, knee jerking decisions while excluding others, & lacking empathy. Or, maybe your new hire is on the other side of the spectrum: doesn't speak up, needs to be told what to do, seems too flexible & lacks confidence. They just don't fit in & it's causing your well-tuned staff to freak out. And just like that, you've got another HR problem. Great. While presenting very differently, both these staff members are exhibiting symptoms from the same playbook: they've both got Emotional Intelligence issues.
The "Other" Intelligence & Success
We have focused on mental intelligence as a marker for success every since Alfred Binet created the first intelligence test in 1857. Look at how we get accepted into college: grades & test scores. And if they're not high enough, other accomplishments simply don't matter. Our resumes continue this trend filled with signs of our intellect: degrees, licenses, certifications, honors, positions, & awards. And even now, most companies spend the interview focused on accomplishments, missing out on what is arguably the most important selection criteria: cultural fit which is best determined by a candidate's emotional intelligence.
The concept of EI (or EQ) hasn't been around very long. "The term Emotional Intelligence was conceived by Drs Peter Salovey and John Mayer in 1990 as an identifier for the human capacity to understand and engage in meaningful social interactions." (MHS.com). It then made a big splash in 1995 with the release of Daniel Goleman's book Emotional Intelligence which was based on the work of the Salovey & Mayer. At only 27 years old, EQ is a mere baby in the world of social science. However, the successes of those harnessing it's power are beginning to be noticed:
Gallup found that employees who had managers with higher EI were 4 times less likely to leave than if they had a manager with lower EI
Another recent study found that when comparing high performing managers with average performing mangers, 90% of the differences in performance could be attributed to differences in EI
And bottomline results are also rolling in:
At PepsiCo executives selected for EQ competencies generated 10% more productivity
High EQ sales people at L’Oreal brought in $2.5 million more in sales
An EQ initiative at Sheraton helped increase market share 24%
Amadori experienced a 63% reduction in turnover and manager EQ correlated positively with plant peformance
The US Air Force is using EQ to screen Pararescue Jumpers to save $190 million
At a major pharmaceutical company, an 8.9% increase in key team EQ was accompanied by double-digit profit growth
(Emotional Intelligence: The Business Case. Freedman & Stillman, SixSeconds)
What is Emotional Intelligence?
Quite simply, emotional intelligence "is the unique repertoire of emotional skills that a person uses to navigate the everyday challenges of life". (MHS, EQ-I 2.0). Put another way, EI is the emotional make up & social skills that people exhibit. It's their reactions & behaviors. While the precise traits & dimensions of emotional intelligence my vary slightly from researcher to researcher, the overlap is significant & the variance is slight. The EQ-i 2.0 Index, by MHS assesses emotional intelligence by looking at 5 major categories, each with 3 sub-dimensions.
Self-Perception - how well a person knows & understands self. Sub-dimensions include: self-regard, self-actualization, emotional self-awareness
Self-Expression - how a person expresses their emotions to the world. Sub-dimensions include emotional self-expression, assertiveness, & independence
Interpersonal - how a person interacts with others. Sub-dimensions include interpersonal relationships, empathy, & social responsibility
Decision Making - how a person decides what to do. Sub-dimensions include problem solving, reality testing (assessment of what's REALLY going on), & impulse control
Stress Management - how a person handles pressure & difficult situations. Sub-dimensions include overall flexibility, stress tolerance, & overall optimism.
So, a person with "normal" EQ will fall somewhere in the middle in many of these categories & may be better at some dimensions than others.
It's the people at the extremes who we have to worry about. For example, someone with too much impulse control will come across as cold, uninviting, and not personable. Whereas someone with very little impulse control might show this trait by constantly blurting out their thoughts, yelling & screaming or other emotional outbursts, or not showing up to work if something better comes along.
The Good News? EQ is Coachable
Trying to change behavior through regular coaching conversations or disciplinary actions is difficult at best and rarely successful. But all is not lost. Unlike IQ which stagnates at adulthood and cannot be increased, EQ can be coached & improved! Provided, of course, the staff member is willing to take the results of the assessment seriously and implement improvement strategies.
A good coach can assess your EQ-challenged staff member by using a tool like MHS's EQ-i 2.0 which is both valid & reliable, hence it's popularity. Partnering with the staff member, results will be interpreted and a plan will be created to help grow their weaker areas.
Want to save an expensive, "bad fit" hire or grow your own career and personal power?
Consider a valid & reliable assessment through a certified EQ coach and follow through. Your workplace & life will be richer because of it!
GeGe Beall, FACHE, SPHR, SHRM-SCP is owner of Engaged@Work, a Human Resources & Organizational Development consulting firm that specializes in Work Culture: Emotional Intelligence Assessment & Coaching; Speaking, Consulting, & Workshop Facilitation; Leadership Development; Staff Engagement, Toxic Staff, & Fun@Work!
Email: gege@engagedatwork.life
