How to Use the EQ-i 2.0

When I was certified in the EQ-i by Dr. Reuvan Bar-On and Dr. Steve Stein in 1997, I was working at the New York Times as an internal HR consultant with a focus on professional development and performance management.  For 10 years at the Times, I offered the EQ-i as part of emotional intelligence training and development. This gave me an opportunity to become familiar with the report and to design a debrief process which identifies develomental objectives.

Ten years later I established E.I. Assessments, LLC in 2007, and soon discovered that many companies and organizations already understood and appreciated the connections between emotional intelligence, executive development and inclusive leadership.  One of the first executive development opportunities I had was working with the front offices of a dozen Major League Baseball teams to apply the EQ-i in support of their diversity and inclusive leadership initiatives.

Every company would like to have leaders and staff who are effective listeners, clear communicators and collaborative problem solvers. All of these characteristics involve emotional intelligence skills.  If you need any more evidence regarding the necessity of these skills for all professionals, then I refer you the HBR article, Why Young Bankers, Lawyers, and Consultants Need Emotional Intelligence.

In a 2015 Harvard Business Review article, Ace the Assessment, the author describes how 76% of organizations with more than 100 employees use tests or self-assessments as part of their external hiring process.

"Most important, valid tests help companies measure three critical elements of success on the job: competence, work ethic, and emotional intelligence. Though employers still look for evidence of those qualities in résumés, reference checks, and interviews, they need a fuller picture to make smart hires. Research shows that tests for such traits are much better predictors of performance than are years of experience or education—the sort of data that candidates typically highlight in their applications.” 

The Emotional Quotient Inventory, the EQ-i, is the only scientifically validated emotional intelligence self-assessment that can provide you with relevant data on potential job candidates. Before hiring your next employee, consider making an emotional intelligence assessment, specifically the EQ-I 2.0, as part of your hiring process. I have worked with organizations and companies that previously used the Myers-Briggs Test & Personality Assessment as a pre-hiring tools but have switched to the EQ-i 2.0 considering the amount of information it provides a potential employer.

Executive Development & Inclusive Leadership

Organizations wants inclusive leaders and professional staff who are strong active listeners, honest communicators and who can effectively cope with work pressures.  You should look at all of these strengths as emotional intelligence skills which can be measured and developed.

Leaders who embrace diversity consistently score high in emotional intelligence as measured by the EQ-i 2.0.  In 2017, I worked with ADP's Multicultural Leadership Development Program and Prudential's Black Leadership Forum Symposium where I used the EQ-i for individual leadership coaching sessions and discussed the collective data for group recommendations.

Career Development

Career transitions are about making changes, both exciting and intimidating, and often represent a time for self-reflection.  Having an opportunity to step back and to consider different professional choices should involve identifying and applying your strengths while continuing to develop your weaknesses.  I have worked with many executives and professionals with their EQ-i results to help them to set new career objectives and to create a plan to fully leverage their strengths in their next position.