Euro RSCG sent me on a course at the Wharton Business School in Pennsylvania and it was there that I heard Dr Charles Dwyer say, “EQ is critically important to the success of business and must be embraced.”
This was career-changing for me because it gave me permission to be concerned about the “soft” issues. Many managers want to use EQ but we’re taught that it’s something for the HR department, and doesn’t really matter – actually, nothing could be further from the truth. His advice has made an enormous difference to this business.
It’s enabled me to understand that everybody is driven by What’s In It For Me? Acknowledging this is so much a part of leading people. You also need to understand the trade-off – for me to do well in my job, I need people to do well in their jobs, and the way that they will do well is if I inspire them and allow them to flourish. Without second-guessing the person you are talking to, you have to understand where they are coming from. If you do that, you start to see what the real issues are, and when you understand the real issues you can address them. From there, performance improves. Recognising the importance of EQ has also taught me the difference between managing and leading. Managing is about telling people what to do; leading is about getting people to volunteer to do what you need them to.
