Emotional Intelligence, Part I

Based on research in a number of companies, Daniel Goleman has suggested that effective leaders can move among leadership styles, adopting the one that best meets the needs of the moment. He discovered that effective leaders were alike in one primary way. They all had a high degree of "emotional intelligence" (EQ). There's an IQ (intelligence quotient). Why not an EQ?

If leaders do not have emotional intelligence, their full potential may not be achieved. Goleman and fellow researchers Richard Boyatzis and Annie McKee say, "The message sent by neurological, psychological, and organizational research is startling in its clarity. Emotional leadership is the spark that ignites a company's performance, creating a bonfire of success or a landscape of ashes."

Leaders with high levels of emotional intelligence will develop an organizational culture of information sharing, trust, healthy risk-taking, and learning. Those with low levels of emotional intelligence will create a culture of fear and anxiety. Followers will demonstrate tension and terror because their leaders don't "feel the pain."

What's your EQ?