Emotional intelligence, known as EQ, is being touted as a key ingredient to surviving any working environment. Don’t get me wrong, IQ is still important and not to be dismissed. But the EQ is playing a critical role within the PR profession as digital media, client demands and no-such- thing-as-being-offline expectations seem to be the new norm.
Why all the hype? Check out the book, “Emotional Intelligence 2.0,” which highlights extensive studies showcasing that emotional intelligence drives culture, which in turn affects strategy and business outcomes. Courtney Lukitsch, founder of Gotham PR, had this to say in her recent article on PRDaily about the book and impacts of EQ, “Clients are engrossed in their social media presence and how they appear to the public. Deadlines and emotions—along with expectations and results—routinely run high. PR pros are expected to master communication and act as a brand’s voice with 100 percent authority and objectivity—every moment of the day.”
That’s a lot of juggling. PR professionals with a high EQ are seemingly able to handle today’s fast paced working environment.
So what is emotional intelligence? EQ is defined as being aware, expressing and controlling one’s own emotions and handling interpersonal relationships empathetically. When looking at teams or hiring new team members, here are four components used to analyze a person’s EQ:
- Self-awareness
- Self-management
- Social awareness
- Relationship management
Lukitsch adds, “Professionals with higher EQs often work better in groups. In a typical office setting, teamwork is vital to success, and PR pros are continually working in groups, within their own agency or with clients. Having a high EQ is becoming essential to professional success.”
At GroundFloor Media we’ve recently hired a few new team members to an established team. Some of us have worked together for 10+ years. We are productive, communicate well and don’t have much conflict. However, with the addition of new team members, many of us have had to take a step back and look into our own emotional intelligence to modify the way we do things so that we can build productive teams. This personal growth for team leads is challenging.
The good news? We can practice habits to increase our EQ. Sometimes it is good to shake things up.
