EQ By the Numbers

There are many, many numbers on EQ and its effects on performance, productivity, employee engagement and much more.

The following numbers are from Daniel Goleman’s book Working with Emotional Intelligence.

Daniel Goleman’s analysis of 181 jobs in 121 organizations found that emotional competencies were the best differentiators between star performers and typical performers.

In top leadership positions over 85% of the difference in performance is due to emotional competence.

How to Fire Up Your Drive

It happens to all of us. One day, we just wake up lacking the energy to do anything.  Not wanting to go out of bed, not wanting to stay in it either.  That’s normal.  That’s the stuff of life, so to speak.

It’s not normal:

• To get entangled with lack of energy, lack of drive, lack of motivation.
• To continuously talk yourself into the act of not doing anything.

But what do you do when all the drive inside of you are purged out?  Maybe you can begin with the following recommendations.

Think of the worst-case scenario - We have all been told that envisioning success is a good motivator.  Now, why not do the exact opposite?  Why not envision a future that is bleak, hopeless and stripped off all happiness and success.  Why not envision yourself living eternally in a rut where sense of accomplishment and a tiny hope are nonexistent?  Hmmm…..  Call me crazy but that can usually get me a at least a little motivated to do something.

Motivation: Getting Yourself Back on Track

Sometimes, all we need is something that can keep us motivated and get us back on track.  Maybe right now you are feeling like my story about “wet noodles” and need a little push.

Here are a few tips that I hope help you get back on track.

Appreciate failure - Many people find failure a bit too daunting. For them, failing – whether it’s a simple goal or a grand task – is enough to keep them from moving another finger. For successful people, failure is a teacher. It was difficult and demoralizing while they were at it.  But in retrospect, there is always something that can be gained from failing.

Communication and Correction in Business

As a leader in your team be careful what you send out.  Negatives can bring the whole team down, squish energy and slow down any momentum. Sending global angry emails to your group is never ever productive. Pick up the phone in those circumstances.  Email can build hard feelings and mistrust if you use it poorly.

Group correctional emails are also not usually productive. You need to use them sparingly (like almost never). Have a meeting with a few of your people that are messing up whatever it is, but don’t penalize the whole group for a few people. If you need to send a directional email that is fine, like a reminder that everyone needs to be on time or park in designated parking or whatever. Make it positive and even toned.

Communication and Your Team

Any communication sent your way is usually a time saver for you. Decide how to best use it. Don’t assume your people read their emails. Typically as people move up in a company their reading comprehension becomes more important, make sure you develop those skills in your people and yourself.

One of the biggest stresses for employees is often they feel “out of the loop” or like they aren’t told anything. This is a morale killer among a lot of other things. It is critical for you to develop a way to get information to your people. Or maybe you can do it for your supervisor. There is no perfect method, find something easy to maintain and understand. There are many important aspects of using emails and communication to help your team.