Carole Greentree.  You don’t know her but I consider her to be one of the most instrumental leaders in my career who I had the pleasure of working for (or as she would say ‘working with’).

10 years ago, if I was asked to explain why I would bestow such honour upon her, I might have told you how great she was with people.  She was a decisive leader with a strong business acumen.  She also listened…really listened to her people and was so easy to talk to.  Her empathy and commitment garnered love and respect from her team.

Today, if asked the same question, I would be able to define all those aforementioned qualities by saying she has a high degree of Emotional Intelligence  (EQ).   EQ  is an idea that was brought about by American psychologist Daniel Goleman through his book released in 1995 called Emotional Intelligence which was a NY Times Best Seller.   It is based on the idea that hard skills alone do not a good leader make.  Rather its ‘soft skills’ that turn a leader from ‘good’ to ‘great’ when combined with strong ‘hard skills’ or technical ability.

Have you ever met people who are academically brilliant, yet are socially awkward and seem to have few inter-personal skills? Despite possessing a high IQ rating, success may not always follow.  The EQ theory revolves around  understanding yourself, your goals, intentions, your responses, your behaviour as well as understanding others and their feelings.

There are 5 main tenets to Emotional Intelligence:

1. Self Awareness – knowing your emotions.  You are aware of the tone that is set by your emotions in your workplace.  Have you clearly identified your strengths and weaknesses?  Being aware of these on a daily basis will help to ensure that these do not trip you up in your daily activities.

2. Self Regulation – managing your emotions and staying in control.  It’s the ability to make consistent decisions & communicate in areas where your values may be challenged. Can you keep your cool and make a reasoned, logical decision?

3. Motivation – knowing what drives and motivates you. Can you quickly identify what your current goals on your plate are?   Great leaders have well defined goals and don’t require the time to think when asked what they are.

4. Empathy – recognizing and understanding other people’s emotions.  Its not always easy to put yourself in another’s shoes especially when it’s in extreme disagreement with your value set.  But the ability to challenge others acting unfairly and develop them is what makes a great leader.

5. Social Skills – managing relationships.  How well do you manage the emotions of others when difficult news is delivered?  Are you just as open as when it’s good news?  Being able to manage your team and get everyone on board diplomatically while negotiating change is the sign of a great leader.

The concept of EQ is not new.  What is new is that we are seeing more and more companies realizing that technical skills alone do not garner success.  It is why in job interviews more time is being spent on determining the applicant’s fit and behaviour profile.  It is driving Human Resource departments to develop resources to ensure leaders understand EQ, as this awareness is known to reduce stress for employees, reduce conflicts and improve relationships.

Carole Greentree, now retired and still a good friend, may not realize it but because of her high EQ she had a ripple effect that has touched hundreds if not thousands.  I’m proud to say….I’m one of the many.