What Is Emotional Intelligence?

Emotional Intelligence is the capacity for effectively recognizing and managing our own emotions and influencing the emotions of others. Emotions have the potential to get in the way of most of our important business and personal relationships. IQ is essentially intellectual potential. Whatever our IQ is at birth, it will unlikely change over time. IQ is also not a reliable predictor of success in work or life.

According to John Kotter of the Harvard University School of Business, “because of the furious pace of change in business today, difficult to manage relationships sabotage more business than anything else – it is not a question of strategy that gets us into trouble, it is a questions of emotions”.

Is Emotional Intelligence Important to Performance? Research across Job Levels revealed that emotional intelligence was two times more important in contributing to excellence than intellect (IQ) and expertise alone.

For Managers and First Line Supervisors: Supervisors in a manufacturing plant received training in emotional competencies such as how to listen better and help employees resolve problems on their own, how to empower and inspire others, and how to become more effective personal leaders.

Following Emotional Intelligence Training, the following occurred: Lost-time accidents were reduced by 50 percent. Formal grievances were reduced from an average of 15 hear to 3 per year. The plant exceeded productivity goals by $250,000. Production increased by 17 percent. There was no such increase in production for a group of matched supervisors who were not given emotional intelligence training. There was a reduction is sick-usage. Similar findings have occurred in real estate sales.

Anger management generally includes stress management, communication, anger management, and emotional intelligence. The Anderson & Anderson Executive Coaching/Anger Management model has a strong focus on emotional intelligence.

George Anderson, MSW, BCD, CAMF
www.andersonservices.com
www.aaamp.org