The intelligence quotient is out. When hiring, more and more bosses are assessing the emotional quotient, which includes emotional intelligence. This is beneficial not only for colleagues, employees and the entire team, but also for the environment and the profitability of the company.
It’s difficult to define what exactly emotional intelligence is. It is a mixture of empathy, self-knowledge and self-management of one’s emotions.
“Emotional intelligence is based on the idea of understanding one’s own emotions and those of others,” says Claude Frasson, professor at the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at the University of Montreal who has been interested for twenty years. years of emotional intelligence.
For Manon Poirier, general director of the Order of Certified Human Resources Advisors of Quebec (CRHA), it is a way of reaching out to others and understanding them. “Emotional intelligence allows us to understand the perspective of others, to be aware of it and to take it into account,” she emphasizes. This is super important, because people who work in isolation, without interaction, are very rare. »
Imagined and conceptualized by the American psychologist and scientific journalist Daniel Goleman in 1995, emotional intelligence has five pillars, summarizes Mr. Frasson: self-knowledge and awareness, self-regulation of one’s emotions, motivation, sociability and ’empathy. The latter is the cornerstone of emotional intelligence.
“Empathy is natural in human beings,” says Estelle Morin, professor of management at HEC Montréal, “except for the person we don’t like! The person who has high emotional intelligence will be able to manage relationships, including conflictual relationships. She will be able to express herself, assert herself, say no, while remaining respectful. This is called assertiveness. »
The impact of a leader with a high EQ (emotional quotient) rate is enormous: the climate is healthy, staff feel free to speak authentically, energy is mobilized, motivation is on the rise and productivity is there.
“People are united and social connections are rich, because people feel listened to and unique,” says Alexandra Larouche, organizational psychologist, lecturer at Laval University and speaker.
It highlights the extent to which emotions play in the ability to manage and lead. “Mishandled emotion can make even the smartest people stupid! “, she says.
Increasingly, management committees, boards of directors and investors are interested in the degree of emotional intelligence within a company. “Yes, of course, there is know-how and technical skills,” summarizes Claude Frasson, “but more importantly, it is interpersonal skills. This is the driving force. »
To improve your emotional intelligence, you must be able to “reduce your blind zone,” believes Ms. Poirier, of the Order of CRHA. “It takes humility,” she notes, “and being able to open up to feedback while remaining accessible. The psychological environment must be safe enough for people to feel comfortable giving the real answers. »
In a selection process, certain psychometric tests, recognized and validated, can give an idea of EQ. It is a tool… which must be reconfirmed in an interview, explains Manon Poirier.
For her part, Estelle Morin suggests some practical exercises, such as keeping a journal.
She also recommends using an application created by researchers at Yale University that allows you to take the pulse of your emotional health a few times during the day. How We Feel is free, does not collect personal data and is ad-free – however it is only in English at the moment.
“50% of the journey is complete when you are able to understand and manage your emotions,” says the professor. You must then develop your ability to perceive that of others, learn to control your impulsiveness and increase your optimism. »
A great challenge for 2024… “It is certainly a protective factor for mental health,” concludes Ms. Morin.