Why Emotional Intelligence Matters:
Every company has their own unique way to qualify candidates and decide if they are the right fit. But at the end of the day, the quality of professionals hired is important to any company, and hiring the wrong person can result in high, avoidable costs. Most organizations are wired to search for the smartest candidates with the most experience, but this doesn’t always result in hiring the best person for the job. Companies, like Google, have started to focus more on emotional intelligence when hiring and less on IQ or where a candidate went to school. Smart, experienced employees are still valuable additions to a team, as long as they are emotionally aware.
Companies should actively seek professionals with strong emotional intelligence. This includes candidates with self-awareness, motivation, social skills, and the ability to learn from mistakes. Those with emotional intelligence lead more effectively and have greater success because they can appreciate and understand emotions in themselves and others. Managing conflict and transition comes naturally to them, which, in turn, leads to a stronger team overall.
Recognizing and Using Emotional Intelligence:
Behavioral Event Interviewing
The best way to identify emotional intelligence in potential employees is through behavioral event interviewing. While this process takes longer, it pays off. It involves asking specific questions, about both successful and unsuccessful events, to understand the candidate’s awareness of a situation. It’s important to hear a potential employee describe how he or she actually behaved. Recognizing emotional intelligence competencies takes time and practice.
Utilize Current Employees
Current employees are a great source for discovering emotionally intelligent candidates. They understand the company and have its best interest in mind. They are equipped with the ability to scour their networks for people who can handle stress, who are willing to learn, and who can adapt during change.
Gauge Your Team’s Current Emotional Intelligence
Utilizing emotional intelligence quizzes will provide insights into a team’s current emotional awareness. PeopleFoundry recently utilized Harvard Business Review’s emotional intelligence quiz to gauge where our team stands at a high level. It’s a useful starting off point to see what our company does well and where we can improve. Ultimately, teams with strong emotional intelligence have better leadership and higher success rates.
