Your IQ gets you Hired, But your EQ gets you Promoted

By Miriam Tovar, Recruitment Consultant – Technology, Abrivia Recruitment

 
As children, most of us were taught that intelligence correlates with success. However, let´s ask ourselves the following question: are our smartest classmates the ones that have been more successful in life? Are they the ones who are working in areas they really love?

In many cases, the answer is no and the main reason is that even though their IQ was high, perhaps they have not developed their emotional intelligence to the same degree.

Emotional intelligence is the “something” in each of us that is a bit intangible. It affects how we manage behaviour, navigate social complexities, and make personal decisions that achieve positive results.

It is not about being carried away by emotions, but rather it is about emotions that have been identified, balanced and redirected. The key is to dominate one’s own emotions and manage them well.

By expanding our ability to discern the feelings that underlie interpersonal relationships, we are more likely to respond to any situation in a less impulsive and thoughtful way, thus achieving better receptivity, authenticity and sincerity.

Many studies and researches show the positive aspects of developed emotional intelligence. The following are some of them:

  • Assertiveness
  • Optimism
  • Impulse control
  • Empathy
  • Self-motivation and self-management
  • Reality Testing
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Flexibility
  • Interpersonal Relationships

The great news about EQ that if you are low in any of the scales you can fix it! And, why is it so important to develop your EQ?

Nowadays the skills related with EQ are the ones that Companies require the most because as Maya Angelo once said: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”