mgpcpastor's blog

As I think about the five areas of emotional IQ described below, I can discern distinct personal weaknesses in the last two areas and some growth in the first three.
I believe that it is possible to develop these qualities.
(Otherwise I’d be a bit discouraged.)
I think the first of these is a key towards seeing the others grow.
From Thom Rainer.

What distinguishes good leaders from great leaders? Why does one person excel in an area while another languishes, even though they have similar competencies and intellect? The difference, according to about twenty years of research, is the emotional IQ of a person.

The Leader in Thought
One of my favorite writings on emotional IQ is the classic “What Makes a Leader?” by Daniel Goleman, published in 1998 in Harvard Business Review. Goleman had earlier written Emotional Intelligence, a book published in 1995 on the same topic.
Leaders and organizations often neglect the “soft” issues related to emotional IQ. But Goleman and others demonstrate, through rigorous research, these very qualities can make or break leaders, and thus the organizations they lead. In Goleman’s research, for example, he found that the emotional IQ of a leader was twice as important as cognitive IQ and competencies in relation to the success of an organization.

The Five Categories of Emotional IQ
Emotional IQ is often delineated in five categories. Each category tends to be self-descriptive.

Self-Awareness: The ability to recognize and understand your moods, emotions, and drives. Self-confidence. Knowing how you affect others. Self-deprecating sense of humor.
Self-Control: The avoidance of emotional outbursts. Thinking before speaking or acting. Trustworthiness and integrity. Comfort with ambiguity. Openness to change.
Motivation: A passion for work that goes beyond money or status. The propensity to pursue goals with energy and persistence. Optimism in the face of failure. Organizational commitment.
Empathy: The ability to understand the emotional makeup of others. Responding well to people according to their emotional reactions. Avoiding sarcasm. Avoiding condescending remarks toward others.
Social Skills: Proficiency in managing relationships. Success at building networks. Effectiveness in leading change. Persuasiveness. Expertise in building and leading teams. Basic interaction skills with others.

Emotional IQ: Born or Made?
The research suggests that a certain level of emotional IQ is genetic. But there is an abundance of evidence that indicates emotional IQ can be learned as well. One thing the researchers know for certain: Emotional IQ increases with age. We simply call the process “maturity.”
But age does not guarantee a high level of emotional IQ. Often times, it must be learned with a desire to improve oneself. Also, it helps immensely to have someone who will help you “see yourself in the mirror” more clearly.

The Dearth of Emotional IQ Awareness at Many Organizations
If emotional IQ is so critical to the development of a leader and the success of an organization, why do so few organizations seem to be aware of the issue? Why do so few businesses, schools, and churches make the matter one of high priority in evaluating and recruiting leaders?
Certainly we affirm that basic cognitive IQ and competency skills are important for the development and choosing of leaders. But the evaluation of leaders is never complete without due consideration to emotional IQ. It was once thought that emotional IQ was a nice add-on to the skill sets of leaders. But today, more than ever, we are discovering it is essential for the sake of the leaders and, concurrently, for the health of the organization.