IQ = Intelligence quotient. The
ability to complete a task based on information you have.
EQ = Emotional quotient. The
skills most needed to survive as a human being, experience life to the full and
be highly positively impactive on those around you.
‘Prince Vasili always spoke languidly, like an actor repeating a stale
part. Anna Pavlovna Scherer on the
contrary, despite her 40 years, overflowed with animation and impulsiveness. To be an enthusiast had become her social
vocation and, sometimes even when she did not feel like it, she became
enthusiastic in order not to disappoint the expectations of those who knew her.’
So is set the scene at the
audacious Russian royal court in Leo Tolstoy’s epic and colossal novel ‘War and
Peace’. If my English teacher (hope she
isn’t reading this somewhere) set the task, in 500 words or less explain
Tolstoy’s understanding of how the main characters primed themselves for war
with France? Answer Prince Vasili wasn’t
bothered and Anna Pavlovna Scherer pretended everything was alright, the end. (Sorry Mrs Cameron). In slight digression to this and as the novel
moves on it retains little surprise that Napoleon Bonaparte wasn’t a man to be
trifled with or trusted, so being overly underwhelmed or overly enthusiastic
may not have been the best leadership formula. What (I believe) the reality of Tolstoy’s work
had unwittingly uncovered was that strong Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is the
greatest asset in leadership in any era and Anna displays it magnificently; she
was enthusiastic even when she did not feel like it and in order not to
disappoint others.
This trait in leaders is stark
throughout history and is prevalent in todays’ greatest. Emotional Intelligence is the ability to
recognise and understand one’s own emotions and their effect on others, how to
manage those feelings and add to your general happiness and well-being. Emotion is often referred to as coming from
the heart, the signal received by the brain from the heart is the most powerful
signal in the body. The electro-magnetic
field produced by the heart is five thousand times greater in strength than the
field generated by the brain.
It therefore translates that
the happier we are the more effective we become; place that into a business
environment and observe:
· Reduction in recruitment
· Increase in talent
· Inclusion, innovation and creativity
· Excellent customer service and feedback
· Lower stress/ sickness/absenteeism
· And beyond
If only we could measure
someone’s emotional intelligence before we recruit them, promote them, delegate
to them etc. and yes of course we can. What
is your recruitment cost? If you could
save 10% what does it look like now? No,
the reality is not 10%, it is at least 70% if you profile your candidates
properly, what does that look like now? And
then some, because what are the re training costs? Customer re engagement costs? You can identify the most emotionally suited
people to your organisation in any circumstances. Or, let’s ask Tolstoy if everyone in your
business wanted to be there, was happy to be there and was optimistic about the
future; what would that look like?
Here is another essential time
saving device. War and Peace has 1,400
pages and over 560,000 words. Below is
my précis:
The French invaded Russia,
five Russian families tell the story, eventually Bonaparte was kicked out
because it was too cold and they wrote an overture to celebrate. Move on we’ve got some excellent people to
recruit.
If IQ is the technical, then
EQ is the edge.
“The intuitive mind is a
sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honours the
servant and has forgotten the gift.”
Albert Einstein (1879-1955)
