How to Recognize Emotional Intelligence
Employees with strong emotional intelligence tend to be more successful and make better leaders, which is why smart companies make an effort to seek them out when hiring.Since the term was first coined in 1964, emotional intelligence -- or EQ, as it is often shorthanded -- has become the subject of numerous papers and books, especially the 1995 bestselling Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ.
Adele Lynn, author of The EQ Interview: Finding Employees with High Emotional Intelligence, claims EQ "accounts for anywhere from 24% to 69% of performance success.” Though there's considerable debate about the role of EQ, versus general smarts and personality, many companies look to fill their leadership pipeline with high EQ hires.
However, identifying these candidates can be difficult. Writing for The Wall Street Journal, Tom Gimbel offers "five telltale signs of EQ to look for during an interview":
- They own failures.
- They are reflective.
- They are natural leaders.
- They focus on the how.
- They are great are resolving personnel issues.
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