The Most Wanted Workplace Skill

Emotional intelligence surpassed technical skills as one of the most sought after workplace competencies, according to the World Economic Forum.

Harvey Deutschedorf, an emotional intelligence thought leader has some strong opinions  on why emotional intelligence is more valuable than human intelligence. He claims emotionally intelligent employees:

Can Take the Heat
Emotionally intelligent workers are conditioned to perform at high levels even when their stress points are off the charts. They tend to be more in touch with their inner selves, enabling them to manage the stress hormone in their brain called cortisol.

Use Their Ears More Than Their Mouth
On a constant quest to get better, they do not mind receiving feedback in search for constant improvement. They have a capacity growth mindset that sees failure as an opportunity to grow and understand that effort. They also possess an attitude that helps them survive in an uncertain, constantly changing and ambiguous workplace.

Practice Empathy
They know their own biases, beliefs and hot buttons as well as the biases, beliefs and hot buttons of their colleagues. This allows them to grieve with others by getting on the roads their partners are traveling. Their ability to be curious about the differences of their co-workers builds individual connections that strengthen the stick-to-itiveness and loyalty among their teammates.

Lead as Role Models
Their knack to rise above the trials and tribulations of the workplace give them social capital- the trust, knowledge, reciprocity and shared norms that create quality of life and make a group resilient. Employees realize that their emotional intelligent cohorts are people to be looked up to since their deep personal connections with their colleagues make them the most influential people in the organization.

Work Smarter
Since their hearts are in perfect alignment with their heads, emotional intelligent people tend to make decisions in a way that take into account the effect their judgments will have on the entire organization. Their hard wired relations with their stakeholders better enable them to respond to the results of those assessments whether they result in good or bad outcomes.

The 20th century job recruiter was more concerned about whether or not job applicants can answer the head question, “What to do and how to do it?” The 21st century headhunter asks a different question about the heart, “Why do you do what you do.”

Would you put your emotional intelligence score on your resume?