As we head into the Independence Day holiday, I’m going to do a short series on emotional intelligence and how it should be informing your hiring decisions.
Daniel Goleman is probably the most prominent expert on this topic and recently explained in an HBR interview how his research applies to the topic of recruiting:
Companies today are increasingly looking through the lens of emotional intelligence when hiring, promoting, and developing their employees.
Years of studies show that the more emotional intelligence someone has, the better their performance.
Goleman defines emotional intelligence as the ability to identify and monitor emotions (your own and others).
And he says it’s best understood by grouping it into these four traits:
Self-awareness: the capacity to tune into your own emotions.
Self-management: the ability to keep disruptive emotions and impulses under control.
Social awareness: accuracy in reading and interpreting other people’s emotions–often through non-verbal cues.
Relationship management: the interpersonal skill set that allows one to act in ways that motivate, inspire, and harmonize with others while also maintaining important relationships.
From a broad perspective, it’s easy to see how these traits would signal the likelihood of a recruiting prospect experiencing success.
What’s not so obvious is the ability to recognize these traits in those you’re evaluating for your team.
In the next few Insights, we’ll spend time digging into these concepts so you’re more aware of the emotional intelligence of your recruiting prospects.
