Why is EQ as important as IQ?

Studies show that a high or low EQ affects a person’s abilities to perform under pressure, resolve conflict, and cope with challenges

Ishita Royal

Emotional Quotient is a person’s proficiency to control his/her emotions and manage them best according to the situation. It is  often confused with Intelligence Quotient (IQ). The difference between EQ and IQ  is understanding emotion and understanding information. Ashima Kaul, a professor at Delhi University explains, “Your IQ can get you through college but your EQ will get you through life.”

Why is it important?

A recent poll conducted by TimesJobs.com reported the following  viewpoints regarding the importance of emotional quotient at workplace.

• 39% of the respondents says it helps build workplace relationships

Being overly emotional at work can be treacherous. It adds negativity to one’s career and is often considered unprofessional. “A high emotional quotient however, empowers the employee to feel and enjoy his/her work with passion,” stated Nakul Mehra – CEO, Vizz Media, Delhi.

• 27% says it is essential for team bonding

Everyone in the workplace has to make some decision or the other. If a team is emotionally strong they tend to work in a productive manner. A balanced emotional quotient helps in building an optimistic work relationship. “An empathetic colleague with a good emotional quotient allows for the creation of a stable work environment, crisper thought process and communication between colleagues. As human- bonding is inevitable in the workplace, a good EQ always plays a vital role in keeping the team intact,” adds Sonal Kapoor, CEO, Protsahan India Foundation.

• 18% says it helps handle stress

Regardless of how convenient one’s job is, he/she cannot escape stress at one point or the other. “A professional team high on EQ, will always have higher productivity, and will stay together even under stress, crazy deadlines or during times of crisis,” says Kapoor.

Sandeep Chaudhary, Judicial Magistrate, Kanpur explains, “In my profession, it is important to make decisions that are neutral and fair. Whether the decisions are big or small, they have a direct impact on a number of people, hence it is very important for me to balance my emotions, stay calm and resolve conflicts effectively making EQ as important as IQ. ”

In general, people often become defensive while facing criticism but by being emotionally strong one can convert criticism into constructive feedback. According to Mehra, “Our social media team is a good example of an emotionally strong team and gets positively involved with the responses they get from their clients.”  A high emotional quotient can make the difference between a professional who enjoys his/her work and is good at it, and one who considers their job a burden and can’t wait to get through the day.

- See more at: http://content.timesjobs.com/?p=7067&fromsite=toi&utm_source=toi&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=toi-tj-whitelabel#sthash.XtCGj7Pv.dpuf