Though there’s no doubt that climbing the career ladder takes a significant level of intelligence, there’s more to succeeding in a leadership role than having a high IQ. In fact, one of the most valuable qualities of a good leader is a high emotional quotient (EQ) and the ability to read people’s emotions and empathize with others. As a manager it is essential that you work well with people and are capable of establishing positive professional relationships, so could EQ be more important than IQ?
Norwich University has put together this infographic, looking at how Emotional Quotient and Intelligence Quotient affect leadership abilities.
What are the benefits of high EQ?
- A study that compared outstanding managers with average managers found that 90% of the difference was accounted for by EQ.
- The biggest indication of whether or not an individual will take the lead in their team is their emotional intelligence, even when their IQ and personality are taken into account.
- Managers with well-developed emotional intelligence skills are more likely to outperform revenue targets than those with underdeveloped emotional intelligence skills.
- 67% of the attributes that employers look for are emotional intelligence competencies.
- Employees with a manager with high emotional intelligence are four times less likely to leave than those with a manager with low emotional intelligence.
What are the habits of high EQ leaders?
- A study looking at past US Presidents found that emotional intelligence was a key quality that distinguished the successful from the unsuccessful.
- The successful chose their battles wisely, behaved assertively when necessary, and showed courage to confront difficult situations with confidence.
- Another of their strengths is the ability to recognize their own moods, emotions, and drives and how they may affect other people.
- They are able to understand and react to other people’s emotions and behave appropriately.
How can you increase EQ?
- Being assertive and expressing difficult emotions when necessary.
- Maintaining a positive attitude.
- Try to keep your cool and manage stress.
