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The following summarizes five
studies that support the idea that emotional and social factors are
important in job success. This information is an extract taken from
a paper by: Cary Cherniss, Ph.D. - Graduate School of Applied and Professional
Psychology - Rutgers University. The complete paper can be found at
the web site of the Consortium for Research on Emotional Intelligence
in Organizations. www.eiconsortium.org
Study 1
Experienced partners in a multinational consulting firm were assessed
on the EI competencies plus three others. Partners who scored above the
median on 9 or more of the 20 competencies delivered $1.2 million more
profit from their accounts than did other partners – a 139 percent incremental
gain (Boyatzis, 1999).
Study 2
An analysis of more than 300 top-level executives from fifteen global
companies showed that six emotional competencies distinguished stars
from the average: Influence, Team Leadership, Organizational Awareness,
self-confidence, Achievement Drive, and Leadership (Spencer, L. M., Jr.,
1997). Study 3
In jobs of medium complexity (sales clerks, mechanics),
a top performer is 12 times more productive than those at the bottom
and 85 percent more productive than an average performer. In the most
complex jobs (insurance salespeople, account managers), a top performer
is 127 percent more productive than an average performer (Hunter, Schmidt, & Judiesch,
1990). Competency research in over 200 companies and organizations
worldwide suggests that about one-third of this difference is due to
technical skill and cognitive ability while two-thirds is due to emotional
competence (Goleman, 1998). (In top leadership positions, over four-fifths
of the difference is due to emotional competence.) Study 4
At L’Oreal, sales agents selected on the basis
of certain emotional competencies significantly outsold salespeople
selected using the company’s old selection procedure. On an annual
basis, salespeople selected on the basis of emotional competence sold
$91,370 more than other salespeople did, for a net revenue increase
of $2,558,360. Salespeople selected on the basis of emotional competence
also had 63% less turnover during the first year than those selected
in the typical way (Spencer & Spencer, 1993; Spencer, McClelland, & Kelner,
1997).
Study 5
In a national insurance company, insurance sales agents who were weak
in emotional competencies such as self-confidence, initiative, and empathy
sold policies with an average premium of $54,000. Those who were very
strong in at least 5 of 8 key emotional competencies sold policies worth
$114,000 (Hay/McBer Research and Innovation Group, 1997).
Given that there is a business case for assessing
emotional intelligence, how can this be achieved? |
