While emotional intelligence (EQ) is often dismissed as a “soft skill,” more and more research indicates that it’s EQ that enables lasting leadership success; IQ only takes leaders so far. In fact, EQ may account for as much as 30 percent of the variance between successful and less-successful leaders.
There are many EQ assessments, but one of the best-researched is the EQ-i 2.0, which covers 15 different factors. This is the framework that my associates and I use most often.

EQ is a vital part of doing your best work. The following questions give you an idea of how:

• Are you aware of your own emotions and their impact on your effectiveness?
• Can you understand the emotions of others? Not just what they are, but what caused them?
• How well do you handle stress? Do you actively work to minimize it?
• Do people see you as an optimistic person?
• Are you the kind of person others seek to be around?

One of the places I call on EQ frequently is in my Intentional Leadership framework. Please feel free to browse this and the other tools I use, and contact me with any questions!