I read an article this week on emotional intelligence for which Wikipedia has a sound definition.
"Emotional intelligence (EI) or emotional quotient (EQ) is the capacity of individuals to recognize their own, and other people's emotions, to discriminate between different feelings and label them appropriately, and to use emotional information to guide thinking and behaviour."
When we recruit new people for a professional organisation we often focus on their "intellectual intelligence" and their ability to "do the job" or "to fit in". I remember being in charge of recruiting trainees in a major London law firm and these were characteristics we looked for, and were quite good at identifying. Our ultimate test was "could I share an office with the person concerned".
What legal skills did a candidate possess? Were they able intellectually to handle the rigour of a complex transaction. Sometimes however this missed the point. Yes these are all great and needed qualities for a professional person but actually the ability to exercise emotional intelligence and to "identify and manage your own emotions and the emotions of others" is an essential skill in any professional role.
The trainees who succeeded had a certain emotional robustness and the ability to understand and work with others, sometimes as a natural skill and sometimes as something they developed. The ones who didn't usually left after two year.
I suggest we should look for this ability or at least the capacity to develop it in all candidates for professional jobs. Without emotional intelligence all the other forms of ability a person may possess cannot be properly manifested and utilised in an effective way.
"Emotional intelligence (EI) or emotional quotient (EQ) is the capacity of individuals to recognize their own, and other people's emotions, to discriminate between different feelings and label them appropriately, and to use emotional information to guide thinking and behaviour."
When we recruit new people for a professional organisation we often focus on their "intellectual intelligence" and their ability to "do the job" or "to fit in". I remember being in charge of recruiting trainees in a major London law firm and these were characteristics we looked for, and were quite good at identifying. Our ultimate test was "could I share an office with the person concerned".
What legal skills did a candidate possess? Were they able intellectually to handle the rigour of a complex transaction. Sometimes however this missed the point. Yes these are all great and needed qualities for a professional person but actually the ability to exercise emotional intelligence and to "identify and manage your own emotions and the emotions of others" is an essential skill in any professional role.
The trainees who succeeded had a certain emotional robustness and the ability to understand and work with others, sometimes as a natural skill and sometimes as something they developed. The ones who didn't usually left after two year.
I suggest we should look for this ability or at least the capacity to develop it in all candidates for professional jobs. Without emotional intelligence all the other forms of ability a person may possess cannot be properly manifested and utilised in an effective way.
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