July 2016

I have been specializing in the subject of emotional intelligence for about 15 years now so we thought it would be fun to share some of the most frequently asked questions we hear from people on the topic. Just as a quick point of reference, you can learn more about the subject of EQ on this short 3-minute video.

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1. Do women have higher EQ than men?

Surprising to many people, the answer is no. Women and men have the same amount of overall emotional intelligence. The EQ competency is made up of several skills and within the skills, men tend to have higher levels in some, but women have higher levels in others so they average out to roughly the same.

2. Can you really learn these skills or are you born with them?

This is the best news about emotional intelligence. It can be learned because it is a mix of genetics (nature) combined with experience (nurture). How much EQ you can learn is individual to you - some people can increase quite a lot and some only a little.

3. How do I deal with a boss who has no EQ and is clueless about it?

Sadly, this is probably the most common question I get asked. For tips on how to best deal with this situation, check out this article on "How to Use Your EQ with a Boss Who Has None." Self-awareness is the foundation of EQ and we all struggle with knowing how we come across to others, especially with our direct reports. And, giving feedback to your boss can be tough but many of the executives we work with that have little EQ respond well to someone who occasionally challenges them in a professional and appropriate way.

4. Why does having EQ matter?

For many years, emotional intelligence skills have been labeled as "soft skills", "people skills" or "nice-to-haves." Only recently has research documented the real power EQ holds over getting business results. You can find some business case examples of how EQ leads to higher income, better performance for teams and higher engagement in employees.

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