What skills help star performers shine?
Those interviewed at an international petroleum corporation reported “EQ-related” competencies over twice as often as “IQ-related” ones:
Emotional Intelligence
Cognitive Intelligence
50%
44%
45%
Analytical Thinking Conceptual Thinking Information Seeking
Achievement Motivation Impact and Influence
40%
35%
Self-Confidence Teamwork and Cooperation Organizational Awareness Empathy International Flexibility
30%
25%
19%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
Cognitive Intelligence
Emotional Intelligence
When asked what sets superior performers apart, participants identified emotionally intelligent competencies 44% of the time and cognitively intelligent competencies 19% of the time. 44
Emotional intelligence is proving to be one of the key drivers of employee performance; higher EQ leaders build a workplace environment where team members can excel, and higher EQ team members use their business strengths more effectively and excel as star performers. How important is EQ in distinguishing high performers? To assess this, a 2006 study at an international petroleum corporation investigated relationships between international business capability, expertise, cognitive aptitude, and emotional competencies. 44 Through interviews, surveys, and focus groups participants identified factors that differentiate average and superior performers. Analyses of 108 interviews found that participants more frequently identify emotional intelligence factors (such as achievement motivation, empathy and self-confidence) than expertise and cognitive factors. In fact, of the 10 most commonly cited performance factors, the seven items categorized as reflecting
PAGE 23
White Paper The Business Case for Emotional Intelligence
Made with FlippingBook Annual report