A Change Is Underway
When you ask somebody what makes a great business leader, they'll often say things like 'their vision,' or 'their ability to make decisions', or some crassly point to their wallet. Whatever the case might be, what many business-curious people and executives fail to realize is that business requires more than calculated shrewdness and persuasive rhetoric; it requires understanding your employees and coworkers on an emotional level commonly referred to as Emotional Intelligence (EI), also known as Emotional Quotient (EQ).“In a study of skills that distinguish star performers in every field from entry-level jobs to executive positions, the single most important factor was not IQ, advanced degrees, or technical experience, it was EQ. Of the competencies required for excellence in performance in the job studies, 67 percent were emotional competencies," writes Daniel Goleman, a renowned author and business journalist.Other prominent business thinkers -- even in Denver -- also point to EQ as a critical defining trait of a successful business person. That's why DU's Daniels College of Business Executive Education program has several workshops that focus on developing 'soft leadership skills' or the emotional and human side of things. And when you think about it, it really makes a lot of sense ... Let's take a page from the sales handbook: 'people buy from people' and why do you think word of mouth is so powerful? When someone you trust, someone you can relate to, someone who you can be honest with, and someone you truly believe has your best interest at heart asks you to help them, that's what's going to make great things happen. After all, "When dealing with people, remember you are not dealing with creatures of logic, but with creatures of emotion," said Dale Carnegie. To further back things up, a survey conducted by Career Builder, 71 percent of people in a position to hire said they value EQ over IQ and 75 percent said that the high EQ person was more likely to get the job. The World Economic Forum also sees it as one of the top 10 job skills by 2020. So what can you do? As far as improving EQ goes, experts are saying that self-awareness and empathy are the foundation, so if you think you and your business could use an EQ boost that's a good place to start. However, if you need an effective leadership culture change in your organization quick consider the Daniels College of Business Executive Education courses for your C suite -- the go-to for many of Denver's largest corporations.
What are your thoughts? Do you think EQ is undervalued or overvalued? What do you do to help improve your EQ? Let us know in the comments below.
