Emotional Intelligence: Why we take it for Granted in organisational SuccessArticle by :Dr. Pratik P. SURANA (ACTP,Ph.D.,EQ I 2.0 Certified Assessor and Coach)Chief mentor and founderQuantum Grouphttp://www.qicpl.comhttp://www.quantumtrainings.comhttp://www.youtube.com/pratik0510Success in the workplace takes a lot more than book knowledge or even hands-on experience. Find out what it takes to strengthen this essential professional skill. The gifted manager needs a high rate of "emotional intelligence.".Paul, a healthcare association manager, seems to have it all: an MBA degree, unstoppable energy, charisma, and a razor-sharp wit. Considering these raw ingredients of success, Paul should be a star. In reality, however, turnover in his department is high, and morale is low. His career seems to be falling apart before his eyes. Why? The reason is simple — Paul has a high IQ, but his "EI," or emotional intelligence, is sorely lacking. He hurts others with "joking" remarks, reacts badly to criticism, and becomes impatient when his employees bring issues to his attention. All the energy and advanced degrees in the world cannot overshadow these glaring weaknesses. Maybe Paul will get a clue soon and begin shoring up his EI, but until then, he is destined to "lead" a crippled team — or no team at all.The term "emotional intelligence" debuted in several scientific articles written by John D. Mayer and Peter Salovey during the early 1990s. The researchers defined emotional intelligence as the compilation of four kinds of skills: perceiving and expressing emotions, understanding emotions, using emotions, and managing emotions. These insightful publications helped pave the way for the 1995 best-seller Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ and Working With Emotional Intelligence by New York Times behavioural science columnist Daniel Goleman, which brought emotional intelligence into the mainstream of business. According to Peter Salovey, chairman of the Department of Psychology at Yale University, "Prior to 1995, only other psychologists had heard of emotional intelligence. Goleman痴 first book made the term a household word."The Five Pillars of Emotional IntelligenceGoleman books on emotional intelligence reorganized Salovey and Mayer model into five broad categories:•    Self-AwarenessPeople with a healthy sense of self-awareness are "comfortable in their own skin." They understand their strengths, weaknesses, emotions, and impact on others. One of the most telling signs of self-awareness is how well a person responds to constructive criticism.•    Self-RegulationNot only do the emotionally intelligent understand their emotions, but also they can demonstrate maturity and restraint when revealing them. They do not squelch their feelings, instead expressing them in a manner that shows a high level of judgement and control.•    MotivationManagers generally are ambitious. However, emotionally intelligent leaders are motivated by a strong inner drive, not simply money or titles. They are resilient and optimistic in the disappointments. It takes a lot to break their spirit or thwart their confidence.•    EmpathyManagers with empathy are not necessarily easy on their staffs. They do, however, possess the compassion and understanding of human nature that enables them to connect emotionally with others. Empathy allows them to provide stellar customer service and respond genuinely to an employee痴 frustration or concern.•    People SkillsEmotionally intelligent managers are widely respected by their bosses, peers, and employees. They like people and are savvy enough to know what makes them tick. Their ability to quickly build rapport and trust with those on whom they depend seems almost second nature. Power wars, back biting, and duplicity are not their style.More than IQMost people intuitively recognize what Goleman books expertly put into words: analytic intelligence is not the most important criterion for success. For many years, employers have put a premium on specific aspects of intelligence, such as maths, verbal, and logical reasoning abilities. While relatively easy to measure, these skills clearly were not enough of a predictor of ability, as evidenced by the scores of people with exceptionally high IQ scores who were performing poorly in the workplace.According to Goleman, cognitive skills "get you in the door" of a company, but emotional skills help you thrive once you’re hired. Psychologist Steven Stein, a marketer of tests that assess employees’ emotional intelligence quotient, cites an example of this theory with the story of a bright Harvard business graduate who was pleased to receive numerous job offers. The honeymoon was over quickly, however, as she embarked on several jobs. She butted heads with her employers over one issue after another until she eventually was terminated from each job. Her story is not unusual.Studies of close to 500 organizations worldwide, reviewed by Goleman in his second book, indicate that people who score highest on EI measures rise to the top of corporations. "Star" employees possess more interpersonal skills and confidence, for example, than "regular" employees who receive less-glowing performance reviews."Emotional intelligence matters twice as much as technical and analytic skill combined for star performances," Goleman writes. "And the higher people move up in the company, the more crucial emotional intelligence becomes."Emotional intelligence is not about "being nice." Too much niceness can indicate low confidence and assertiveness, indicating a lack of emotional intelligence. You may have witnessed the debris that certain "harmony-hungry" managers leave behind. They crave peace so much that important issues and performance problems fester far too long, sometimes to the point of no return.A more evolved and the latest model of Emotional Intelligence, EQ i 2.0 has divided EQ into 5 composites and having 3 sub scales each.This describes how EQ is relevant in our day to day life but has always been undermined.An emotionally intelligent manager chooses his or her battles wisely, behaves assertively when necessary, and displays the courage to confront sticky situations with confidence. Strong emotional intelligence helps them do so without making enemies or damaging the self-esteem of others.According to Yale’s Salovey, "Emotional intelligence is not merely being emotional or controlling your emotions; it is both — it is understanding when emotional expression is going to be helpful and when it is going to be problematic."Is EI a "Girl Thing"?Emotional intelligence is no respect of gender. Contrary to popular belief, women are not more emotionally intelligent then men. They are, however, emotionally intelligent in different ways. An analysis of emotional intelligence in thousands of men and women found that women, on average, are more aware of their emotions, show more empathy, and are more adept interpersonally. Men, on the other hand, are more self-confident, optimistic, and adaptable, and they handle stress better. Please check the video below hoe EQ impacts us in every sphere of our lives.In general, however, far more similarities exist than differences. Some men are as empathetic as the most interpersonal sensible women are, while some women are just as able to withstand stress as the most emotionally resilient men. In total, taking into account overall ratings for men and women, the strengths and weaknesses average out, so it’s an even competition between both sexes.Emotionally astute managers are able to deal with contentious employees, a tyrannical boss, rapid changes in the workplace, and unexpected disappointments and triumphs while keeping a level head and strong sense of self. They do not let circumstances surrounding them define who they are or what they stand for. Their employees and peers depend on them for consistency, good judgement, and the ability to do the right thing at the right time.Strong emotional intelligence in the leadership of an organization directly affects retention of high-quality employees and overall productivity. Daniel Feldman, president of Leadership Performance Solutions and author of The Handbook of Emotionally Intelligent Leadership, explains, "Research suggests that effective leaders use their personal power to influence others as much as their position power. Position power is based on the authority from the formal position that one holds. Personal power is based upon one relationship with others. Personal power is built through the use of the skills of emotional intelligence."A Gallup Organization study shows that most workers rate having a caring boss even higher than money or fringe benefits. In interviews with two million employees at 700 companies, Gallup found that the length of time employees stay at companies and their level of productivity are directly related to the relationship they have with their immediate supervisor. "People join companies and leave managers," said Marcus Buckingham, a senior managing consultant at Gallup and the primary analyst for the study.Poor listening skills are a dead give-away of low EI. Research confirms that executives spend 45 percent of each day listening, but 95 percent of them have never taken a skill course in listening. According to deLisser, improved listening does wonders to increase EI in results-driven executives "because, of all the motivational types, they are most willing to take the risks necessary to try new behaviours, particularly when they witness the positive results that follow."The Value of Self-AwarenessSelf-awareness is arguably the most critical foundation of emotional maturity. Harvard School of Business noted in its June 1996 issue of Management Update, "Our candidate for No. 1 managerial aptitude of the next decade is self-awareness." Because it is one unconscious motivations and beliefs that drive the behaviours that can sabotage desired results, managers must be willing to face their blind spots. By themselves, assessments such as 360-degree feedback results are not sufficient, and neither are test results. Managers must possess the maturity and humility to listen to feedback, using it wisely to come to terms with and shore-up their foibles.One of the secrets to success is recognizing that motivation follows action. The momentum of continuous action fuels motivation, while procrastination kills motivation. So act boldly, as if it's impossible to fail. If you keep adding fuel to your desire, you will reach the point of knowing that you'll never quit, and ultimate success will be nothing more than a matter of time.If you apply these strategies, you'll add so much fuel to your desire that the fire will never burn out. You'll move towards your goals like a guided missile to its target, and you'll enjoy the process because you'll be so focused on the positive rewards instead of the difficulty of the tasks. If you get enough positive energy flowing into you, you'll soon have positive results flowing out of you. And you'll quickly become the kind of person that others refer to as "driven."For more:Write to me on pratiks@quantumtrainings.com