We talk a lot about competence in the workplace, and this is certainly important. Competence comes in many guises and includes different skill sets, ranging from technical skills, understanding legislation, and management, as well as interpersonal skills. Interpersonal skills are vital to get the most from the technical skills and the best from those with whom we work. To be effective with interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence is needed; there is a view that within organisations emotional intelligence - or EQ - is more valuable than IQ. So, what is emotional intelligence? It was detailed by Daniel Goleman in the 1990s when he wrote of 'our emotions playing a major role in thought, decision-making and individual success'. He went on to say that 'self-awareness, impulse control, persistence, motivation, empathy and social deftness are all qualities that mark people who excel, whose relationships flourish and who are stars in the workplace.' Emotional intelligence is key for working together and managing teams well. But, often, not enough importance is placed on it, compared with technical skills and even, dare I say, management skills.
展开▼
