Yesterdays post was about two key measures used to identify leaders. Intellectual skills and behaviour skills. These two measures have been labled EQ and IQ.
In essence these measures are just predictors of how a person will behave. That is, what would you do if…..?
How it works
For example if you saw an obnoxious drunk bother patrons in a public place you would:
- call security
- confront the drunk
- ignore the situation
- gather more data before deciding what to do
- leave
Persons with behaviour characteristics high in empathy or motivation would most likely take action 1 or 2. Intellectually focused would take 4 or possibly 5 ( depending on the results of 4. )
Those with average or low leadership tendencies probably go with the default. Do nothing.
Many psychology experments have been conducted using tests to acertain IQ and EQ and then used scenarios to determine what the testee’s do. In some cases rather than scenarios some of these studies used past behaviours.
Consistently, the behaviour you would expect intuitively based on the IQ and EQ measures ( like the example above) was confirmed.
Think about it
A very powerful technique for improving your EQ consists of walking yourself through significant scenarios you participated in over the last month and remembering how you behaved.
Were your objectives met. Or if met was it efficient and pleasant? What EQ characteristic behaviours could you have used for a better result. Did others consider your actions kindly and effective?
Use the outcomes from these key experiences to drive improvement in the way you behave. That is identifying what could be down better and what personal behaviours you need to change for that to become reality.
You can be a great leader, make it so.