A term for having the ability and empathy to easily interpret the emotions of others, emotional intelligence is a great tool for recruiters in determining an employee’s future performance. A rundown of its limits and perspectives.
Emotional intelligence is the latest buzzword among occupational psychologists and HR professionals. Yet, there is no consensus about what EI actually means, but can generally be divided into two categories. People with high EI are able to effectively understand their own emotions and those of the people around them. They then use this dual knowledge to better interact with others: defusing conflicts, empathizing and being more effective in teamwork situations. Not everyone, however, agrees on the theoretical approach that remains.
“Most claims about emotional intelligence tend to be improbable,” states Denis Morin, professor at UQAM in the organizational and human resources department. “They are not supported by empirical research.”
The subject of emotional intelligence gained momentum in the mid-1990s, partly because of the work of American psychologist Daniel Goleman, who claimed, in a book published in 1995, that the difference between an exceptional work performance and one that is satisfactory was 90% attributable to EI. Some have gone so far as to say that a senior manager’s success is mainly due to strong emotional intelligence. Such results, however, have not been replicated through objective research. EI is perhaps not the Holy Grail for recruiters, but remains a relevant tool in the kit for human resources specialists.
Morin adds that EI is particularly useful in work environments where employees need to interact with customers. Individuals with higher emotional intelligence are better suited to business standards and rules, and are able to respond to their colleagues and superiors’ informal expectations. On the other hand, EI becomes much less effective in predicting employee performances in areas requiring less teamwork or interactions with customers.
Emotional intelligence is also difficult to measure. Some models use simulation exercises and questionnaires. This evaluation method, however, can be quite abstract. The evaluation by others or self-assessment of skills can also be used. This second approach does come with serious limitation though. “Candidates can assign themselves a significantly higher EI with self-assessments, and many do,” states Morin.
Despite what some argue, EI should not be seen as the sole factor in determining career success. One must considering EI, personality (which are very close to each other) and cognitive abilities (IQ) to draw a broad picture of a candidate's skills.