Much is written about Emotional Intelligence, it even has its own acronym – EQ, for Emotional Intelligence Quotient.
Considering that so much has been written on the subject, by so many people, few can agree what Emotional Intelligence actually means, both in terms of definition and importance.
For our purposes, it is defined as this – Your degree of awareness of the role of emotions in business.
Most of the tomes on EQ include massive, degree length papers to measure EQ. Having read many of these, I have drawn out the major areas, but not as a “test” or any kind of measurement, rather as a tool to consider the key issues for you, your people and your organisation.
There follows 21 questions, 7 each about your own emotional awareness, 7 about other people and finally 7 on your organisation. These are intended for private consideration, and debate with peers, if you so wish.
There is no “right” or “wrong” answer only different choices. These choices reflect your background, your beliefs and your emotional leadership style.
Your Emotional Awareness
ONE – Emotional Confidence (Self)
| 1 | How visible are you, to the people in your organisation? |
| 2 | What was your most recent, big mistake? |
| 3 | What percentage of decisions do you base more on logic than emotion? |
| 4 | When you are away from your office, do you ever worry what is happening in your absence? |
| 5 | What are your top three strengths? |
| 6 | Do you take personal responsibility for anything and everything that happens to you? |
| 7 | If you were stripped of your job title and traits of office, would you still be able to get the best from your people? |
TWO – Emotional Connection (Others)
| 1 | Can you influence people without controlling them? |
| 2 | What two top leadership qualities does your next in line have? |
| 3 | Can people communicate openly with you, without fear or favour? |
| 4 | Can you name 50 people in your company, or customers of your company? |
| 5 | Can everyone in your team relate what they do, to the dreams of the company? |
| 6 | How often does your boss catch you doing something right? |
| 7 | When was the last time you had a major disagreement, and how was it resolved? |
| 1 | What are the three main values in your organisation, stated or implied by behaviour? |
| 2 | Do your customers love you? |
| 3 | Do your meetings buzz with passion? |
| 4 | Do you have a mission statement? |
| 5 | How many new ideas have your company / team generated in the last 24 hours? |
| 6 | Do politics and hidden agendas play a big part in your organisation? |
| 7 | How dependent are you on external suppliers? |
ONE – Emotional Confidence (Self)
| 1 | How visible are you, to the people in your organisation? (Visibility = Charisma. In these times of e-mail, those who communicate in person can communicate with greater impact) |
| 2 | What was your most recent, big mistake? (Do we admit to making them? Are we honest and open? Whose fault was it?) |
| 3 | What percentage of decisions do you base more on logic than emotion? (Does it matter what labels we give decisions as long as they are true ones?) |
| 4 | When you are away from your office, do you ever worry what is happening in your absence? (An indication of your stress, trust in others to do the job, and belief in your own importance) |
| 5 | What are your top three strengths? (Some people are very humble! Go on – name them and be proud of them!) |
| 6 | Do you take personal responsibility for anything and everything that happens to you? (Ownership, one of the most powerful and uncomfortable things we can ever do as human beings!) |
| 7 | If you were stripped of your job title and traits of office, would you still be able to get the best from your people? (The acid test of leadership – prove it!) |
| 1 | Can you influence people without controlling them? (Or do people follow you because they have to because of your power and position?) |
| 2 | What two top leadership qualities does your next in line have? (Awareness of a next in line ready to take over with two outstanding qualities – recognition that all the security you need is within you) |
| 3 | Can people communicate openly with you, without fear or favour? (They will answer yes, so when was the last time someone told you they disagreed – in front of others, we like people who are like us (people who agree with us)) |
| 4 | Can you name 50 people in your company, or customers of your company? (You have the capacity to do this, and your people’s names are their favourite sound) |
| 5 | Can everyone in your team relate what they do, to the dreams of the company? (The key motivator for people is to be valued and this is one of the biggest tests of whether they are, or not! – in particular front-line people – e.g. on phone or in retail stores) |
| 6 | How often does your boss catch you doing something right? (Are you motivated by pain or pleasure?) |
| 7 | When was the last time you had a major disagreement, and how was it resolved? (Honesty time, and recognition that disagreements are great and needed for projects, teams and companies to thrive) |
| 1 | What are the three main values in your organisation, stated or implied by behaviour? (Do they have values and what do these values mean – also are they written or acted on each day?) |
| 2 | Do your customers love you? (Love??? Harley Davidson customers love them – do yours? – what can you do to ensure they do) |
| 3 | Do your meetings buzz with passion? (Are discussions about football or the weekend full of emotion, but discussions on projects full of boredom – why?) |
| 4 | Do you have a mission statement? (If so, what is it, what does it mean, and is it worded to excite the heart and awaken the zest inside an organisation?) |
| 5 | How many new ideas have your company / team generated in the last 24 hours? (Leaders are everywhere and the next great big stonking idea is within your people – You are your next Big Idea) |
| 6 | Do politics and hidden agendas play a big part in your organisation? (The answer is yes – for everyone – we all play politics, which is simply another word for communication, and we all have hidden agendas, which is our own agenda) |
| 7 | How dependent are you on external suppliers? (People rarely admit it, but they usually are in some area or other– an awareness of setting people, teams and organisations free to fly by their own wings) |
With thanks to Jane Short, of Ashridge Management Centre