Is EQ > IQ?

IQ or Intelligent Quotient is the cognitive intelligence that represents abilities such as:

–         Knowledge of the world,

Quantitative reasoning

–         Working memory and short-term memory

–         Analytical thinking

–         Mathematical ability etc.

IQ is a measure of person’s reasoning ability and a type of standard score that indicate how far an individual stands in mental ability.

EQ means Emotional Intelligence Quotient that is all about:

–         Identifying emotions

–         Perceiving emotions

–         Managing emotions

–         Using emotions to understand how others feel

–         Relating to others

–         Using emotions for social communication etc.

EQ gives you an ability to read and understand people. Dr Daniel Goleman who devised this term, defined it as a person’s ability to manage their own feelings and understanding their emotions and their appropriate and effective expression can be a parameter for success in the workplace. Self-awareness, Self-regulation, Motivation, Empathy, and Social Skills are all five components given by him as Emotional Intelligence theory. As per Daniel Goleman, Emotional intelligence can be utilized to meet goals and targets, as well as build a happier and healthier working culture.

Over the years, emotional intelligence — also known as EQ — has evolved into a must-have expertise. Research in this area shows that emotional intelligence is the strongest prognosticator of performance. 71 percent of employers surveyed by CareerBuilder said they value EQ over IQ, stating that employees with high emotional intelligence are more likely to stay calm under pressure, resolve conflict effectively, and respond to co-workers with empathy.

A person having high IQ can be successful in getting a job or doing great in his/her career but if the EQ is low then its next to impossible to be a good leader. EQ gives you the highest level of leadership skills and having high IQ and high EQ produces the great leaders of all time. Having low IQ but High EQ can still make you a leader but only having high IQ in the absence of EQ does not add anything with leadership.

Leaders set the tone of their organization. If they lack emotional intelligence, it could have more far-reaching concerns, causing in lower employee engagement and a higher turnover rate.

Emotional Intelligence not only support an organisation to do better, but it also mainly emphasises to take care of an individuals own emotional state and managing it through self-awareness and self-management techniques with acknowledging your strengths and weaknesses. It describes your ability to recognize your emotions and the effect they have on you and your team’s performance.

With the help of Self-management technique, you could manage your emotions, particularly in stressful situations, and maintain a positive outlook despite setbacks. Leaders who lack self-management tend to react and have a harder time keeping their inclinations in check.

With Social awareness it becomes easier to recognize other’s emotions and the changing aspects in play within your organization. Leaders who do extremely well in social awareness practice empathy. They strive to understand their co-workers’ feelings and perspectives, which empowers them to communicate and collaborate more effectively with their associates.

Having good social skills helps to influence, coach, and mentor others, and resolve conflict effectively.

Overall Emotional Intelligence creates the best possible environment for leaders and management. Even though you might excel at your job technically, if you can’t effectively communicate with your team or collaborate with others, those technical skills will get overlooked. By mastering emotional intelligence and communicating with empathy, you can better support your team, all while improving your individual performance.