Emotional Competence: How Do You Rate?

Emotional Competence 1: How Do You Rate?

By Richard G. Ensman, Jr

What’s more important than organizational skills in the workplace? According to some experts, the ability to manage your emotions and relationships

Talk about success in the workplace usually focuses on technical and organizational skills. But recently, another important ingredient has emerged: emotional competence.

This cluster of skills includes self-awareness, the management of emotions and relationships, and the ability to help others develop their skills. Many organizational experts say that emotional competence may be far more important to business success than any other factor.

Rate yourself

To find out how you rate on emotional competence, complete the following emotional quotient (EQ) survey.

Using the scale to the right, rate yourself on how often you exhibit the stated characteristics, putting the corresponding number in each blank to the left.

_____ 1. I foster a spirit of teamwork among the people around me.

_____ 2. I show empathy to others, especially when they come to me with problems.

_____ 3. I am aware of my personality traits and emotional tendencies that can affect my relationships with coworkers.

_____ 4. I can adapt quickly to new circumstances.

_____ 5. I regularly offer help and service to colleagues and subordinates.

_____ 6. Although I may feel anger on occasion, I have control over my impulses and emotions.

_____ 7. I communicate information and ideas thoroughly 2.

_____ 8. I understand what motivates my colleagues and subordinates, and I appeal to those motivators when I wish to influence these individuals.

_____ 9. During difficult situations, I encourage others to express their feelings and concerns.

_____ 10. I welcome questions from the people around me, and respond fully 3 and competently.

_____ 11. I am willing to take the initiative on important projects.

_____ 12. I am quick to foster compromise and consensus 4 when my work group is faced with disagreements.

_____ 13. I am sensitive to others’ fear of change, and I help others accept—and embrace—change in the workplace.

_____ 14. I maintain a sense of humility 5 in my dealings with others.

What’s your score?

Tally 6 your score, then read the explanation (see sidebar) to find out how you rate. Identify traits you can improve and resolve to build your competency in these areas. Increased attention to these skills will bring you, and the people around you, untold 7 benefits in the years ahead.

EQ Survey Explanation

If you earned between 50 and 70 points, you probably exhibit a high degree of emotional competence. You’re a very positive influence on the people around you. A score of 30 to 49 means that you have learned — and display — many of the traits of an emotionally competent person, but you need to deepen those skills. A score below 30 suggests that you’re challenged to learn many of the components 8 of emotional competence.