Originally published by Bernard Marr on LinkedIn: 8 Simple Ways To Test Your Emotional Intelligence
Even though the term emotional intelligence (EQ) was coined in the early 1990s, it has received a lot of attention in recent years because of the belief that a high EQ can impact your career in positive ways. Turns out people with just an average IQ were able to outperform those with the highest IQs 70 percent of the time, and the distinction resides in the former group’s higher EQ. Fortunately, unlike your IQ, you can improve your EQ, but first you need to understand what it is, how to test it and what you can do to boost it.
What is emotional intelligence (EQ) and why is it important?
When someone has a high EQ they are very adept at identifying their own emotions and managing them. Equally important, someone with high a EQ can read and respond well to the emotions of others. Having a high EQ is a driver for success.
Research shows that 90 percent of high performers have high emotional intelligence, therefore making EQ a critical factor that separates high performers from the rest.
Increasingly, candidates for open positions or those wanting to be considered for promotions are being evaluated and asked questions that test their emotional intelligence. Those with higher EQ are expected to be better managers, team players and colleagues. If you aim to be a leader in your department, company or field, emotional intelligence can be quite beneficial in helping you develop teams that are productive and happy with the work they are doing, and therefore stay in their positions longer.
Lacking emotional intelligence can also be detrimental to your career. If you have a reputation for being volatile, selfish or rigid, it might be difficult to follow the trajectory of growth in salary and responsibilities you desire. Therefore, knowing your EQ and then working on ways to improve it is a good practice for everybody.
How do you test your EQ?
Aside from taking a test (some are free and others charge a fee), there are things you can look at and questions you can ask to gauge the very intangible attributes that signal a high EQ.
1. Are you empathetic? An empathetic person really listens to the problems others bring to them without jumping in quickly with a solution. Having compassion and empathy helps those with a high EQ connect with other people.
2. Self-motivation is another defining characteristic for a person with high EQ. People with high EQs aren’t motivated just by title or money, and they continue to press onward even when faced with obstacles.