(Emotional Intelligence – Part III; Read Part I and Part II)
“Emotions need to be taken seriously,” says Sigal Barsade, professor of management at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. “They can provide a company with information [about] what people really feel and can help predict what kind of decisions will be made, what kind of behavior will occur, and what types of relationships will be formed.”
In fact, say Travis Bradberry and John Antonakis, “The average person has more than 400 emotional experiences every day. The problem is that our brains are hard-wired to give emotions an upper hand over logic and rational thought. Our instinctual emotional reactivity can serve us well in extreme or dangerous situations—such as when a vehicle pulls out in front of us —but not nearly so well when someone verbally attacks us in a public setting or even just says something that conflicts with our judgment.
The truth is, an understanding of what emotional intelligence (EI) is (capacity to identify, evaluate, and manage emotions in ones’ self as well as in other people) and how it impacts people and relationships (helping you steer through the complex social aspects work or school, as well as empowering as a leader and influencer) can most certainly impact your workplace success. It can assist you in the day-to-day on the job or help you land a new position. In fact, many employers place as high of a priority on a candidate’s emotional intelligence as they do on their education, skills, and experience. That’s because People with average IQs outperform those with the highest IQs 70 percent of the time.
If a job interview is in your future, be prepared for questions that reach beyond the traditional “What are your skills, work experience, and training?” More and more employers are taking the time to consider and evaluate the emotional side of job applicants as they ask questions to gauge emotional intelligence. For example:
• What is a common perception people have of you?
• Can you describe a time when you experienced a work-related setback?
• What are the top factors you attribute to your success?
• What drives and inspires your life? Your passion for work?
• Tell me about the most rewarding work-related accomplishment you’ve experienced. What made this event the “most rewarding”?
In general, prepare to be stretched, to have your emotional side probed, prodded and uncovered. If you can respond well to these types of questions, as well as maintaining a strong presence in skills and experience, you will certainly excel in your career.
At Springborn Staffing we place a high value on strong candidates – talent that excels in skills and experience, yes, but also is defined by a high level of EI. We match these candidates with best-fit positions in top companies. Contact us today and give your career a boost.
