Measuring EQ

It is generally accepted that EQ (Emotional Quotient) is a measure of success when it comes to leaders and leadership. EQ of course being a set of emotional and social skills that influence the way we perceive and express ourselves, develop and maintain social relationships, cope with challenges, and use emotional information in an effective way.

At one point, IQ was viewed as the main determinant of success. People with high IQs were assumed to be the best managers and were destined for a life of great achievement. However, we began to realise that not only was high intelligence no guarantee for success in life, it was also too narrow a construct to account for the wide range of performance in the workplace.

So how do you measure the strength of someone’s EQ? You test for it. The fact that it can be tested means that in the context of leadership development, we can easily work out where people are strong and where they’re not. It’s important to note that one’s EQ is not simply high or low – it’s more complicated than that. There are different aspects of EQ, depending on the framework used, and each area should be assessed to determine where specific strengths and development areas lie.

The Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i, EQ-i 2.0 and EQ360), based on the Bar-On model of emotional intelligence, is a widely used and reliable EQ assessment. Within this model, there are 5 components:

1.     Self-perception

2.    Self-expression

3.    Interpersonal

4.    Decision making

5.    Stress management

Each of these components is then broken down into 3 further components, for example under “Decision Making” lies

·       Problem Solving

·       Reality Testing

·       Impulse Control

Measuring the different components of EQ can give a well-rounded picture of a leader’s EQ, and highlight opportunities for development. This is critical to leadership success and can also affect the bottom line.

When organisations get “Leadership” right, they are 2.3 times more likely to outperform other companies on financial metrics. Investing in developing your leaders EQ can therefore produce strong tangible results.