I will be taking a certification course on Emotional Intelligence next week. EQ or EI hit the big time in 1995 with Daniel Goleman’s runaway best seller on the subject. Since then, there has been a flurry of research and practical application, with just about every consulting company out there having some sort of EQ offering.
But is there anything to it?
If you would have asked me even 3 years ago, I would have probably told you not much.
And I would have been dead wrong.
Because at this point, after a 24 year career in leadership with great effort expended on producing results, focusing on performance, and yes, taking care of people with a good word or an award, it’s absolutely clear to me that leadership really boils down to the quality of your relationships.
Sure competence and personal integrity matter greatly, but it doesn’t really mean jack squat unless you can get along with people.
The research on emotional intelligence is irrefutable at this point. You can be the smartest, most skilled boss in the history of the human race, but that won’t guarantee your success. What matters more is how well you relate to people.
I’ll report back in a couple of weeks after I complete the course and let you know what I learned…