I have been developing leaders and building teams all around the world for over 20 years and one questions that constantly puzzled me was, how do you actually measure the potential in people? I have always had a rule, especially for new business start-ups, to hire people far smarter than I am to work for me, but was often frustrated when those intelligent people were just not able to turn that intellect into success. Sure, I mentored people into becoming great managers, some into great leaders and teams into fantastic contributors but for those few that did not live up to their own potential I thought there must be another part to the formula, an X factor that I was missing when identifying talent.
Well, over the last few years I found the answer and it comes from how the human brain is made up. Generally speaking, there are two main parts of the brain; the left and right hemispheres. The left side of the brain controls the right side of our body while the right side of the brain controls the left side of our body. In addition to the physical functions, the left side of the brain controls our logical and analytical thoughts, while the right side of the brain controls our emotional and creative thoughts. So if we want to work to our full potential we need to use and be strong on both sides. To avoid confusion for those who have heard me speak or write many times about your conscious vs. subconscious and how absolutely crucial their interaction is to achieve success, in that context I am referring to your mind... So to draw the distinction if your Brain is the hardware then your Mind is the software...
Everybody knows about IQ (Intelligence Quotient), and its ability to measure intellect. IQ tests concentrate on the left brain activity; seeing how we deal with logical problems. Tests have also shown that IQ is relatively fixed after the age of 20, so IQ does not increase with age. If we have not become 'intellectual' by the time we leave university then we will not become intellectual in later life.
However, we can add to our overall intelligence through learning, training and experiences, our so-called 'Technical Quotient' (TQ), but our IQ remains the same. So if IQ and TQ measure the left side of the brain what measures the right-side?
So although I knew this human potential X-factor existed and indeed learned how to intangibly indentify the traits through asking the right questions, up until very recently there was no way anyone could quantify the traits through measurement or how they were associated with Brain function... However, with the advancements in quantum phiyics and it's influence on Neuroscience over the last 20 years we can now explain these traits in neurological terms. Plus through pioneers like Dr Martyn Newman who has taken ideas and concepts dating as far back as the 1920's and, over the last 15 years, and scientifically proven a measure of right brain (Emotional) Quotient (EQ), or as it is now becoming known, Emotional Intelligence.
In his book "Emotional Capitalists - The New Leaders" Dr Newman explains how EQ can be broken down into 5 measurable factors:
1. Self-awareness
2. Self-management
3. Social skills
4. Social awareness
5. Adaptability.
His study also had an amazing finding: that, unlike IQ which stops growing at the age of 20 and can only be added to by learning new technical skills, EQ keeps increasing with age, and as long as we keep experiencing new emotions it keeps growing.
If we now take these three factors, we can show human potential as a very simple formula:
(IQ +TQ) x EQ = Human Potential
To put this into practise, let's take tennis player Roger Federer as an example. He is a reasonably intelligent guy, with good schooling and intellect and natural ability, so he would probably have a reasonable IQ score. His technical knowledge and experience in his field is immense, having played and practiced from an early age with some of the best coaching available, therefore his TQ is very high. There are other players though with equally impressive skills. But what sets Federer apart from the rest and makes him one of the few great players is how he now controls his emotions to get the best out of himself (self-awareness, self-management and adaptability). Anyone who has read about his life knows that was not always the case, as a young professional has was hot headed and short tempered... and if asked he will tell you conquering his emotions made the biggest difference to his career.
If you take this concept into team sports then EQ becomes even more important, because the team have to not only work with their own emotions but also those of their teammates (social awareness and social-skills); as they say, "there is no I in Team".
The next question is why is EQ even more important in business than it is sport? Well, the answer is simple when you realise that a business is just a collection of people working together to serve other people and businesses have more team members than any sport. No matter how high a person's IQ and TQ is, if they cannot understand or control their own emotions, or relate to emotions of their team members, then they cannot reach their full potential and thus the business will not reach its full potential.
The real beauty in this formula is not that we can now measure human potential, but that we have the ability to increase it over time. As long as a person has the level of IQ needed to perform, their real potential can be increased by helping them improve their TQ and EQ. So as long as they are open minded and have the willingness to learn new technical and the all imprtnat emotional skills, which enhances consciousness, they can be better than they are and move closer to achieving their full potential.
So now you know what makes up the X-factor for success the question is are you going to unlock your full potential by putting the formula into ACTION?
My objective is not only to bring Emotional Intelligence into your business but Social and Emotional Intellegence (SEQ) into our schools. I passionately believe that teaching SEQ is the single biggest Paradigm Shift we can make to a school system born of the industrial revolution, which focuses on left Brain IQ activity and into our society as a whole for future generations.
Help me bring EQ into your business and SEQ into your children's schools by sponsoring up to 10 schools in your area. Call my office to find out more.
