Self assessment is important in personal and professional development because it helps you to define who you are, understand your values, and make well- aligned choices that then will help you feel empowered and in control of your life. Throughout your learning life, you have been assessed based on your mental and cognitive abilities, your intelligence or IQ. You may also have been exposed to personality testing such as the Myers-Briggs MBTI, Strengths Finder, Insights or SDI. It has been your high IQ that helped you get into university, pass tests, and learn about the many diseases and conditions that you manage every day.
And yet, as a health care worker and leader, your evaluations and success at work are now based predominantly upon your communication skills, your interactions with other people and how you manage stressful situations. These skills are collectively known as emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence can be defined as a set of emotional and social skills that influence the way we perceive and express ourselves, develop and maintain social relationships, cope with challenges, and use emotional information in an effective and meaningful way. Emotional intelligence has been said to account for up to 85% of one’s success in leadership (with the other 15% coming from IQ).
Emotional intelligence has been shown to correlate with patient’s trust in the physician and their care.
An understanding of your emotional intelligence is helpful because, unlike IQ, this intelligence can be developed with time and awareness. The EQi 2.0 is a psychometric assessment which measures emotional intelligence and has been scientifically validated.
It is composed of 5 scales with 3 sub-scales within each scale:
- Self-Perception
- Interpersonal Relationships
- Decision Making
- Self-Expression
- Stress Management
The assessment takes 15-30 minutes to complete and provides a thorough report which can be reviewed either independently or with a coach. To gain the most from your EQi assessment, it is recommend to review your report with a certified coach and integrating your results in your coaching plan.
