Emotional intelligence (EQ) isn’t always at the front of our minds. We weave EQ into the fabric of our personalities and relationships (both at work and home), yet it’s subtle and complex enough to fly under the radar in many circumstances. We don’t usually say to ourselves after a good encounter, “Wow, I’m very pleased with Andre’s emotional intelligence when it comes to problem-solving.” If the conversation had gone badly, we could have said to ourselves, “Note to self: don’t approach Andre for help when things go wrong…unless I want to feel belittled.”

The fact is that, while we may not be aware of EQ, we are acutely aware of its inadequacy.

Wait for a second—What exactly is EQ?

Before we go any further, let’s define what we mean by emotional intelligence (EQ). We regard the ability to read the emotional and interpersonal needs of a specific situation and respond appropriately as “emotional intelligence.” It’s a pretty broad term these days, which leads to our next question: what is the difference between emotional intelligence and emotional quotient (EQ)?

EQ, abbreviated for emotional quotient, was first used to describe a method of assessing emotional intelligence, i.e., a score on an assessment. However, the word EQ has grown to be commonly used to denote emotional intelligence over time without necessarily indicating that it can be measured quantitatively. As a result, the terms “emotional intelligence” and “EQ” are now interchangeable.

Why We Need EQ in the Workplace?

A person’s lack of (or, at the very least, disrespect for) EQ may throw us for a loop, from aloof CEOs to physicians with poor bedside manners. This lack of emotional intelligence may have a detrimental influence on our day-to-day interactions, which can frequently determine whether we have a good or terrible day.

Managing personal and professional relationships successfully requires several distinct social and emotional abilities. Assertiveness, anger management, and compassion are examples of these talents. As humans, we all want to be understood and appreciated, so it feels awful when our sincere communication efforts appear to be one-sided.

Maintaining effective relationships and interactions in the office, even if it’s only over Zoom or a Teams chat) may have a significant impact on overall job performance and employee engagement. Organizations across the globe are beginning to understand the value of high EQ, and these sorts of soft skills are becoming more in demand in the workplace.

Agility Unlocked: Revealing the Connection Between Agility and Emotional Intelligence, the latest eBook from Everything DiSC®, examines businesses’ requirement for an agile workforce—and how EQ plays a crucial role in generating that agility among employees. The data in this eBook comes from a recent Wiley survey, which found that 97 percent of executives believe that improving EQ is critical to having an agile team.

Furthermore, 41% of respondents claimed that they had quit their jobs because of dealing with people who lacked emotional intelligence. Yikes! Fortunately, EQ can continually be updated, and it’s never too late to begin.

People’s emotional intelligence is far more complicated than “good or terrible” and “high or low,” as Everything DiSC adds to the broader EQ debate. Some parts of emotional intelligence come readily to all of us, while others need more effort.

Some of us are great in situations that need perseverance, but not so much in situations that require patience. Some of us are naturally good in circumstances that require prudence, but not so much in things where we must stretch out. And, as we’ve seen, the world is increasingly expecting us to be able to shift gears and manage a variety of circumstances with comparable proficiency. It is where being agile connects to having well-developed EQ.

The Dynamic (and Crucial) Duo of Agility and EQ

To negotiate the world of work, it appears that organizations—and people—need to be more agile and have a higher EQ. So, what do agility and emotional intelligence have in common? It’s the capacity to “expand.” You’ll be better at handling various professional difficulties and encounters if you can extend outside your comfort zone to regulate and adjust your natural responses. That creates a more robust, more well-rounded EQ.

Make no mistake: learning to stretch takes time and effort, which is why Everything DiSC® Agile EQTM has been created. Through a tailored profile and guided facilitation, this solution (which may be conducted in-person or remotely) helps learners better handle the interpersonal and emotionally charged circumstances they face daily.

Everything DiSC Agile EQ helps businesses improve their employees’ emotional intelligence through the concepts of “mindsets” (your inclinations and tendencies within particular personality aspects) and stretching, resulting in a flourishing, agile culture. An emotionally intelligent person, according to this concept, is one who (1) understands which mindsets are most suitable in a particular scenario and (2) stretches to utilize those mindsets (regardless of how comfortable they may be). The Agile EQ model also suggests that anybody, including the distant boss or the gruff doctor, may acquire agility with practice, persistence, and the proper resources.