.Saturday, July 24, 2010 ' 12:48 PM Y
On the surface, the idea of 'EQ- Emotional Intelligence' can be interpreted according to the basic, straightforward meaning of both words. Advancing beyond the surface, a deeper meaning lies behind the two-word phrase, 'Emotional Intelligence'. Many may have come acrossed the term IQ (Intelligence Quotient), simply defined and labelled based on a person's level of intelligence. However, what exactly is EQ?
EQ refers to 'soft skills' which may comprise of factors such as creativity, empathy for others, ability to build rapport through socialising, being flexible by adapting to changes and having a good working attitude. Overall, the various skills listed above are found and contributed within a person's own character and personality.
In today's working society, EQ is becoming more commonly used and has gained recognition among the employers. Besides IQ, employers are now seeking for people with a high level of EQ to work in their companies. Apart from the 'hard skills' of knowledge and capability, a person's EQ is also being judged upon. Positive human relations play a major role and is beneficial to a company. Companies do hire and welcome those with good qualifications and expertise to join the team. However, what matters most is how these staff manage relations with both internal (colleagues) and external (clients) parties of the company.
Pools of talents are available everywhere, picking on one person solely based on qualifications is easy. But how is one differentiated from the rest? Assuming that resumes received by a company show similar standards of qualifications, how is the managment going to wisely decide on the 'right' person? In this case, interviews are helpful. This enables the company to gain a deeper understanding of their potential employees by shooting questions targeted to test on their EQ level. The questions posed may require thinking on how to handle certain difficult situations. Essentially, building amicable relationships with clients is of priority to a company as this can be an assurance of future long-term partnerships.
Aside from the workplace, first impressions usually last on a person's EQ that is portrayed to the other party. For instance, communication through the tone of voice speaks about a person; an arrogant/ harsh/ boastful/ kind/ concerned tone? Compared to IQ, those with a higher level of EQ are more well-liked by the majority. Of course, having a combination of both high IQ and EQ is definitely the best result. A possibility arises when a smart and knowledgable person is also humble and thoughtful in nature. Such a person will then be highly respected and admired. In my view, it is pointless to only have high IQ. Without EQ, it is difficult to get along well with peers. There are times whereby one needs to rely on others too. Similar to IQ, having a high EQ is an advantage over the rest. EQ is unlike a skill which can be easily learned. Instead, EQ is embedded into one's personal growth and development along the years.
Despite differing views towards Emotional Intelligence with regards to its usefulness of being judged upon, it is still an undeniable fact that EQ has gained greater importance today. The end-result of this competition of a winner is determined by both IQ and EQ, but EQ stands out at a higher percentage now.
-Pearlyn :D-
Labels: EQ- Emotional Intelligence
