Emotional Intelligence has become a real key consideration in people who are being recruited for leadership positions.
What are the main components of Emotional Intelligence or EQ (Emotional Quotient) as it is also known?
As a term it has been in use since the 1960’s but really only became ‘mainstream’ and recognised as a management / leadership trait in 1995 when Daniel Goleman (an American psychologist) popularised the term and broke it down to five key elements:
- Self-awareness.
- Self-regulation.
- Motivation.
- Empathy.
- Social skills.
How does EI or EQ apply to Project Management?
At its core project management is all about effectively leading a team.
Emotional intelligence for project managers and project leaders can be just as important as knowing how to track budgets or interpret the latest earned value data. Click To TweetSo why does a Project Manager need an understanding of Emotional Intelligence as well as the ability to track schedules and budgets?
Project Managers need to be able to do the following:
- Operate in difficult changing environments
- Build effective teams
- Manage change
- Provide leadership
- Deliver results
The people side of the project management equation is critical. Managing effectively requires the ability to understand individuals and teams, establish working relationships, manage goals, and motivate team members
– Kim Wasson 2016 One Unhappy Person Can Ruin Your Beautiful Plan
