Emotional Intelligence is the new IQ

By Practice Manager & Client Experience Manager, Kira West

Introduction

If you have any interest in psychology, leadership, or communication, then chances are that you have heard of emotional intelligence (EI)  before. Emotional intelligence falls into the realm of Myers Briggs (ENFJ over here!) and Enneagram personality tests – but where the latter tests measure the core aspects of your personality, emotional intelligence is a measure of personal and social skills that is not static. Meaning, you can learn emotional intelligence skills, which is of utmost importance now that there is an overwhelming number of studies suggesting that EQ is more important than IQ.

Think of it this way – say that you have an IQ of the “average” doctor – average is in quotations because, of course, doctors tend to have IQs well above the average. Now, say you have finished medical school and you find yourself in your fancy new office. But you find that you have a low number of patients, while Dr Charisma across the hall can’t seem to find a break between the overwhelming number of patients! What does Dr Charisma have that you don’t? You noticed that someone left your office crying last week, but you didn’t think much of it because all you did was give them the basic facts about their cancer, and that they probably wouldn’t last a year. 

“Studies show that EQ is more important than IQ”

Dr Charisma on the other hand, has very high empathy. That’s their secret. They don’t rattle off facts with a general disregard for their patients’ feelings. They display charismatic leadership skills (i.e. good communication), coupled with an inherent way of understanding their patients needs without having to be told outright. And this is the crux of emotional intelligence – your IQ is the measure of your technical skills, but once you are surrounded by peers with the same IQ, what is left to help you stand out? To help you be a better leader? Or a better parent and friend? Thankfully for you, emotional intelligence can be learned. 

Emotional Intelligence in Practice

So, how does emotional intelligence play into an orthopaedic and sports injury clinic? At Barangaroo Clinic, we pay close attention to the needs of our clients. There are four tenets of emotional intelligence:

Self-awareness – knowing and understanding your emotions, your weaknesses, and your strengths

Self-management – emotional self-control, initiative, dedication to reaching goals

Social awareness – empathy, organizational management, active listening skills

Relationship management – recognizing strengths in others and effectively developing them, leadership skills, teamwork and collaboration 

Emotional Intelligence and Success

We use all four of the EI pillars at Barangaroo Clinic. In order to be the best practitioners and teammates that we can be, we must have high levels of empathy and compassion. We see individuals who have severely injured themselves, who have recently had surgery, or who have had ongoing chronic pain for years. We never want to be Dr Indifference, we always aim to be Dr Charisma. 

At Barangaroo Clinic, success means giving a patient the hope and determination that they will recover. We know that navigating the healthcare system can be difficult, which is why we are here to streamline the process for you. We define success for our clients as a holistic management plan, one that clearly communicates the recovery timeline and main goal. We define success as a series of small and achievable goals that work into the bigger picture of our clients’ lives. We know we have been successful when our clients feel our attention to detail and genuine care for their health. That makes all of the difference. I don’t know anyone’s IQ that I work with, and quite frankly, I don’t care. Everyone on my team shows up with a desire to help people and a commitment to make our clinic the best place that it can be. 

“Everyone on my team shows up with a desire to help people and a commitment to make our clinic the best place that it can be.”

 

BOSIC Core Values

I’d like to take you through the BOSIC Core Values and show you how intimately related they are to emotional intelligence. They are:

Go Above & Beyond – We create an unforgettable, 5 star experience while consistently ensuring that all patients’ comeback is greater than their setback.

Emotional Intelligence Pillars: Self-Awareness and Social Awareness

Culture of Joy – We celebrate our wins! We build a fun environment and treat all people with dignity and respect. 

Emotional Intelligence Pillars: Self-Awareness and Relationship Management

Teamwork Makes the Dreamwork – We strive for excellence, never stop learning, and step up as leaders in our community.

Emotional Intelligence Pillars: Self-Awareness, Self-Management and Relationship Management

Dare to THINK BIG – We are constantly innovating, learning from past challenges, and are adventurous and creative in our thinking. 

Emotional Intelligence Pillars: Self-Awareness and Self-Management

Conclusion

It could be argued that every pillar of emotional intelligence is weaved through all four of our Core Values, but I chose the ones that I think play the biggest role in each one. The important thing to note is how Self-Awareness is the basis of emotional intelligence. It is present in each one of our core values, because being self-aware is the first step in being grateful, courteous, and empathetic towards others. Being self-aware means that you have a good sense of your strengths and weaknesses and you aren’t afraid to play big because you know that your team has complementary skills to catch you if you fall. 

“The important thing to note is how self-awareness is the basis of emotional intelligence.”

 

That’s us at Barangaroo Clinic – we have each others’ backs and we have our clients’ backs. We will take care of you because we know how to take care of ourselves and others. Emotional intelligence gives us the opportunity to constantly learn and grow, which we are also challenged to do in our clinical practice. Everything connects, right? I challenge you to take a look at all four of the emotional intelligence pillars and how they play into the values and practices of your workplace. 

To find out your EQ scores in each pillar, follow this link: https://globalleadershipfoundation.com/geit/eitest.html

Thanks for reading! Feel free to reach out if you are interested in learning more. My email is kira@bosic.com.au and I am prepared to answer all questions surrounding leadership and EQ, plus I can get you booked in with one of our practitioners if you need an initial assessment. 

Sending sunshine, 
~Kira

Sources

Pathways – Emotional Intelligence Course by Wendy Jocum (you can book a course with Pathways here)

http://p4s.pt/en/the-4-pillars-of-emotional-intelligence-and-why-they-matter/