Daniel Goleman is best known for his classic book on emotional intelligence.
His research redefined what it meant to be “smart” in business roles where interacting with people was an important part of the job (pretty much every position in modern companies).
The first and most important component of Goleman’s emotional intelligence model is self-awareness.
He put emphasis on this capacity because he believed it profoundly contributed to a person’s success and served as a foundational building block for other capacities.
Subsequent research summarized in HBR backed up his hypothesis.
Research suggests that when we see ourselves clearly, we are more confident and more creative.
We make sounder decisions, build stronger relationships, and communicate more effectively.
We’re less likely to lie, cheat, and steal.
We are better workers who get more promotions.
And we’re more-effective leaders with more-satisfied employees and more-profitable companies.
If self-awareness is this critical to a person’s success, it should be something you’re evaluating in the recruiting process.
How? Most of it can be caught by just asking open-ended questions, active listening, and trusting what your gut is telling you.
But then go one step further, and ask yourself this question at the end of the interview:
How would I rate this prospect’s self-awareness on a scale of 1 to 10?
Those who score low on your scale will likely be your worst hires, regardless of how great they are in other areas.
