EIQ - A Self-Assessment
This episode of Chicken Soup isn’t about COVID-19, but it is about a skill that all of us can use, improve & utilize during these extraordinary times……….
We recently started a Leadership series at Universal Chain Inc. and Module 2 just dropped & it is worth sharing with all of you. Module 1 was a good refresher, but a bit wordy & the main presenter was too “handsy” for me! But WOW, Module 2 more than makes up for the slow start……
Module 2 is about Emotional Intelligence or EIQ. I’ve thought I have a pretty high EIQ, but it’s something that I’ve learned and worked on throughout my career. This module starts with an EIQ Assessment – 35 questions where you grade yourself on a 1 (almost never) to 5 (almost always) rating system. Then those questions are divided up between the 5 Stages of EIQ – Self-Awareness, Self-Regulation, Self-Motivation, Empathy & Effective Relationships. Any guesses on where I scored the highest & where I have opportunities?
I scored the highest on Effective Relationships (32/35) and Self-Motivation (31/35) – I would tend to agree with those self-assessments. Effective Relationships are a key to life & business; I think I do a pretty good job of building relationships that are a balance of work/non-work activities. I’ve always prided myself on knowing about people, outside of work, and finding what motivates & inspires them. That’s important is seeing our teams as people, not a number or a function that punches the clock each day. I want people to know that when I talk with you, it’s not going to be always work related and that we can communicate about things important to you. Self-Motivation is a given too – I am competitive. When I was in High School, Mom used to tell me that I probably wouldn’t go to school, if it wasn’t for sports. I like winning, that feeds my ego and my inner self. But, as I have progressed through my business career, I’ve had to channel that “me” ego into “team” ego. In High School, I played on and was a part of some good teams, but in Football, it was still a “me” thing – that was the way I was going to get a Football Scholarship. Well, after I hurt my knee my senior year, the scholarship was out the window, but competition & winning didn’t have to stop. As I got into business, I realized that a “me” approach wasn’t going to fly, the “team” had to win for me to succeed. I had to move from being the “player” to being the “coach”. Still the same level of competitiveness and the thrill of winning, but from a strategy side, rather than being out on the field. I’ve never lacked for Motivation – but channeling it in the right direction is the key.
My opportunities are not a surprise to me either – Self-Regulation (26/35) and Empathy (27/35). Self-Regulation is an area I work on all the time – I can be frustrated easily and tend to speak my mind, but that is not a great approach in most cases. I’ve learned to let people know when I am frustrated or angry. I ask people to come back later, I count to 10 & I work to realize that things are not as critical or important as they first appear. But, I can fail at this, sometimes epically! There are times where I have let my Self-Motivation (highly rated) take over my brain & my mouth. I justified my actions by my belief that I had been wronged, instead of seeking information and guidance on where I fell short. I’ll continue to work on that opportunity, but know that I am not perfect & sometimes my mouth runs faster than my brain can sort things out. Empathy could be a surprise that it’s an area of opportunity. I work hard to think about others & how they are feeling based on results & communication. But, I do not suffer fools lightly. I do not have any empathy for those that play the system or won’t/can’t carry their weight when the team needs them. I have a ton of empathy for those in the fight, but little for those that tuck their tail & run. Can I get better, absolutely, but realize that my Coaches perspective rewards those that play the whole game, not just the plays that are directed at them.
I think that Self-Assessments are good for each of us - both in our personal & business lives. Learning more about yourself is a the best way to work on becoming a better you!
Be well..........