Personal development has received much Press recently. And quite rightly so -- because it can deliver a number of benefits to several differing groups.

		Professions gain credibility and improved recognition by requiring evidence of continual professional development (CPD) for re-registration or licence to practice.
		Patients experience increased satisfaction brought about by up-to-date practices, which raise standards of care.
		Employers benefit from increased productivity, an enhanced image, and a desirable competitive edge if they maintain a highly skilled and knowledgeable workforce.
		On a personal level, enhanced knowledge and skills bring about increased self-confidence and greater career potential. It also helps people to cope better with the stresses and strains of working and living in today’s fast-changing competitive world.

So, both personal and professional development is worth bothering about. But how can we achieve this?

Think beyond IQ

It has been known for several years that the intelligence quotient (IQ) is not a particularly good indicator of likely success and that other factors play a bigger role. It has even been suggested that a high IQ accounts for as little as 4% of ability to provide exceptional leadership, job performance and achievement. So, what is it that enables some people to perform better than others and achieve greater success? The answer may be a higher EI or EQ.

What is EI?

The term emotional intelligence (or EI) was first coined by John Mayer and Peter Salovey in 1990, but it was further developed and popularised by Daniel Goleman in his book Emotional Intelligence, which was published in 1995(1). The concept has also been called “emotional quotient” (EQ) and “emotional literacy”.

More recent research has gathered empirical evidence for the effects of EI, further supporting the concept and its applications in education and personal and organisational development(2).

EI can be defined as: “The ability to recognise and control our own feelings and needs, recognise those of others and respond to them constructively and skilfully”(3). There are two key elements to the concept:

		intrapersonal skills; and
		interpersonal skills.

The intrapersonal element involves being able to recognise and control your own needs and feelings and includes skills such as:

		self-awareness;
		self-management; and
		self-motivation.

The interpersonal element involves being able to recognise and understand the feelings and needs of others and manage relationships constructively. Relevant skills and traits here include:

		social-awareness;
		sensitivity;
		integrity;
		influence;
		decisiveness; and
		patience.

Just as for IQ, an individual’s EQ can be measured by specially designed tests,
questionnaires and inventories.

What’s in it for me?

We have already seen that personal and professional development can result in many positive outcomes. Knowing what your EQ score is and working on improving it, if necessary, is one way of reaping these benefits for yourself. Helping employees, colleagues and team members to do the same can also result in significant advantages such as:

		improved leadership;;
		increased performance and productivity;
		better working relationships, both vertical and horizontal;
		enhanced personal satisfaction and success; and
		improved organisational success.

How can I develop it?

Developing EI is best done through planned, sustained personal development
programmes which involve:

		reflection;
		practising new behaviours; and
		continual constructive feedback.

These initiatives are most effective when supported by identified mentors and guides.

A good place to start is by using one of the widely available measurement tools to
identify what your current EQ score is and what areas need to be developed. Some skills may be improved through self-development, whereas others may be easier to develop through attending an appropriate course or working with a mentor or coach.

To be successful you need to understand the benefits of changing, know what you are aiming at, and how you will get there. So, writing a development plan detailing these is a useful step, too.

You also need to feel that your achievements will be recognised and rewarded so
ensure your plan includes rewards for key milestones.

Then, it’s up to you to follow the plan and reap the benefits.

Good Luck!

Relevant Websites

www.eiconsortium.org

www.emotionalintelligence.co.uk