EQ

It's not rocket science, and it' doesn't have to elude you anymore. As much as 96% of our success in life and at work depends on emotional Intelligence--also known as horse sense, street smarts or good gut--and it can be learned and mastered.

Emotional Intelligence is the ability to understand, manage, and take action based on the information carried by our emotions. The intelligence comes as we evolve through the four components: self-awareness, self-management, interpersonal connection, and personal leadership. Whether you are leading a corporation, or leading a life, the soft skills like communication, empathy, stress management and optimism result in more revenue generation and job promotions, more productive and fulfilling relationships-- personally and professionally and more comfort with the uncertainty of change.

EQ translates into business results: Hi EQ salespeople generate 37% more in sales; Partners in professional service firms generate 125% more income than their high IQ partners, and more executive level managers are promoted from within based on empathy and self management than any other trait. There's evidence that high EQ results in better health, smart financial decisions (see related article) and more solid partnerships.

The higher you go, it's less about what you know, and more about your ability to manage relationships and change. According to the Center for Creative Leadership, careers derail due to: failure to see the big picture, micro-management, lack of trust, poor team building skills, lack of accountability and the need to be controlling--all correlated to EQ. The same problems that show up at work are often those that show up in our personal life as well. But EQ can be learned, and profound change comes when we ourselves change. nnn