By TERRI RABICOFF
Scottsdale Leadership Class XIX
This is the third of a multi-article series discussing the relationship of leadership and emotional intelligence.
It is important to understand that emotional intelligence (EI) is not a contradiction of cognitive (IQ intelligence), or even a conflict of head over heart, but a distinctive intersection of both – head working with heart. When you look at EI without cognitive intelligence, or cognitive intelligence without EI, you only get part of the solution, creating a gap in human abilities that lies between head and heart – more technically stated, between cognition and emotion. EI competencies involve a certain amount of skill sets in the emotional domain, coupled with skill sets in the necessary cognitive domain of that ability. By incorporating emotions with intelligence, you add the human flair that would otherwise be missing.
While technical skills and acquired knowledge are important, especially in an individual’s early career development path, scaling to the higher rungs of the career ladder calls for the exceptional ability to manage and lead people. Based on research, individuals that possess high EI competencies not only know how to understand themselves and keep their emotions in check, they demonstrate an ability to understand and recognize the value of other’s perspectives.
Research indicates that a person’s intelligence quotient (IQ) and training account for 20 percent or less of the differentiation between a star performer and an ordinary employee. The remaining 80 percent more or less is attributed to EI. Due to the enormous impact EI can have on leadership success, findings may necessitate a change in the methods organizations use to train and develop leaders; and in turn, the way leaders train and develop their followers.
The Scottsdale Leader 