Are you passionate about your work? The role of IQ and EQ in recruitment

Let's first clarify the definitions in the "big book":

From IQ (intelligence quotient, or intelligence quotient, is a measure of the difference, positive or negative, between the current intellectual ability (i.e. intelligence) of a person and the intellectual performance of a person of the same age with average intellectual ability.

Researchers have developed several methods to quantify intelligence. Terman, Stern, etc.

Today, IQ tests are used in many workplaces and schools to determine a person's rational ability and knowledge. The higher the IQ test score, the greater the lexical knowledge a person is considered to have. However, these tests often give false results because they do not test the person as a whole. 

Are we wrong in the selection process if we only look at IQ?

In any case, we will have incomplete information if we want to make a decision based only on IQ, to "know" someone or to decide based on any test.

It is very important to have a personal relationship between the manager and the employee during the selection process. Personal conversations can tell both parties a lot. If this is not the case, sooner or later the problem will arise that the employee will not be able to do his or her job properly, because he or she lacks skills such as problem solving and making quick, decisive decisions. He or she is simply working in robot mode and can only carry out the instructions of a superior. 

People in decision-making positions can also be in for "unpleasant" surprises if they are placed in a position on the basis of IQ alone. For managers, high IQ can lead to egoism and "tunnel vision". They can only work and manage people according to ingrained habits and systems. They become inflexible and do not accept change. 

Help: testing emotional intelligence

More recently, the study of EQ at work has also come to the fore. And EQ means nothing less than emotional intelligence. 

Emotional intelligence (EQ) is the ability to recognise and control one's own feelings, and to interpret and even influence the feelings of others. By harnessing this, they are able to motivate themselves and others, to develop quality relationships and, through these, to increase their effectiveness. The downside is when someone takes advantage and manipulates you. The downside of this is that in some cases the ability to influence is used for the wrong purpose. See companies that brainwash and manipulate the employee, making the employee feel vulnerable.

Let's approach it in a positive direction, for a good cause. We spend many hours a day at work, and it matters how we spend that time, both as employees and as bosses. Having emotional intelligence is a major determinant of this state of mind. 

Your EQ level has a big impact on the following skills and abilities:

• the ability to understand the meaning of emotions,
• promoting thinking through emotions, and
• the ability to manage emotions.

Critical leadership skills can also be linked to emotional intelligence and psychology. 

The role of emotional intelligence in relationship and cooperation with colleagues, thereby strengthening the following core competences:

• My awareness
• Managing your own emotions
• Self-regulation
• Self-regulation
• Adaptability
• Results orientation  

Popositive attitudes develop the following skills:

• Social skills
• Empathy
• Organisational awareness
• Relationship management
• Coach or mentor role
• Conflict resolution
• Ability to work in a team
• Inspiring leadership skills

A manager who has a high EQ can motivate his employees and subsequently achieve the result that his employees also have a high EQ. Creativity and autonomy are important factors of emotional intelligence. Creativity is a way for individuals to bring out their dormant abilities, which they can show in their work. 

If a worker has a high emotional intelligence, he or she will put heart and soul into the job and enjoy it. Another important part of EQ is autonomy, which gives the worker a free hand in his or her work. But this requires that the manager also has a high EQ. 

Unfortunately, there are still very few jobs nowadays that take into account creativity, the tendency to be independent, etc... Today, most people just do their job with a bit of a whimper and work just to get paid. In the long run, this choice and decision leads to burnout, which the individual who is in it doesn't even notice.

The relationship between emotional intelligence and work

From my own experience, I'm of the opinion that people with high EQ are not favoured by employers these days. They see in them creativity, autonomy, and that is a threat to them in some ways. But they have much more experience, autonomy, creativity. 

The "carrot", the nudging, the giving of rewards, only works for a while. Once we do our work with no passion, no joy, it is just effort. 

Motivation and passion are very important. The more motivated we are, the more we enjoy our work, and we do it with heart and soul, not routine. We should always take on work that we have an inner drive for, that has creativity and motivation. 

Whether you work for a multinational or a start-up, whatever the job, how much ownership, how much you take a project or a position to heart, determines how motivated you are. It's fun to work with, and it's the people who put their heart and soul and passion into their work who will be successful. When the motivation fades, it is worth looking for a new challenge, even a completely new job, in which we can see the purpose again, something we can be enthusiastic about.

In a previous article, I have already mentioned the importance of focusing on our emotions during our work, check it out on LinkedIn.

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