During part of the 9-day rotation on Careers, we will be investigating the influence of Emotional Intelligence on success.Emotional Intelligence Test
What Is Your Emotional Intelligence Quotient?
by Julie B. Thibodeaux, M.C.P. and D. Stephenson Bond, L.M.H.C
Is your intellectual intelligence the greatest predictor of what you accomplish in life?
We have been conditioned to believe that IQ is the best measure of human potential. In the past 10 years, however, researchers have found that this isn't necessarily the case -- that in actuality, your emotional intelligence quotient (EQ) might be a greater predictor of success.
What is emotional intelligence? In the early 1990s, Dr. John Mayer, Ph.D., and Dr. Peter Salovey, Ph.D., introduced the term "emotional intelligence" in the Journal of Personality Assessment. They used this term to describe a person's ability to understand his or her own emotions and the emotions of others and to act appropriately based on this understanding. Then in 1995, psychologist Daniel Goleman popularized this term with his book Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ.
The following test will reveal your emotional reactions to difficult situations and measure your EQ. Each item describes a hypothetical situation. Read through the entire range of responses for each situation and then pick the response that most closely matches the way you would respond.
1. Situation: A friend has borrowed something small, but high in sentimental value. You've asked for your friend to return the item, but your friend has failed to bring it back.
Your Response:
o You admit to your friend how important the item is to you and why you would like it back, and ask your friend to return the item to you.
o You end the friendship. You don't need a friend who disrespects you and your feelings.
o You let it go. Friendship is more important than material items.
o You give your friend the cold shoulder until he or she returns your item.
2. Situation: Your long-term partner has ended your relationship and you are upset because you wanted the relationship to continue.
Your Response:
o You stay home every night and cry about the breakup.
o You decide to make the best of it and find healthy outlets for your feelings.
o You get involved with someone you don't care about just to be with someone.
o You immerse yourself in many projects -- maybe you won't think about it.
Your Response:
o You stay home every night and cry about the breakup.
o You decide to make the best of it and find healthy outlets for your feelings.
o You get involved with someone you don't care about just to be with someone.
o You immerse yourself in many projects -- maybe you won't think about it.
3. Situation: Your significant other has a habit that annoys you more and more each day.
Your Response:
o You threaten to leave the relationship if things don't change.
o Live with it! You have annoying habits too.
o You tell the person what annoys you and why.
o You try to make a joke about it so he or she might get the hint to stop.
Your Response:
o You threaten to leave the relationship if things don't change.
o Live with it! You have annoying habits too.
o You tell the person what annoys you and why.
o You try to make a joke about it so he or she might get the hint to stop.
4. Situation: Your boss has assigned you your first big project, and the success or failure of the project could make or break your career.
Your Response:
o You get nervous and pace. Nervous energy helps fuel the process.
o You push it aside, you'll get to it later.
o You spend the next week planning the project out in careful detail before telling anybody.
o You take a few minutes to relax, give yourself time to think, bounce ideas off a colleague, and decide to pursue the idea that makes you feel most confident.
Your Response:
o You get nervous and pace. Nervous energy helps fuel the process.
o You push it aside, you'll get to it later.
o You spend the next week planning the project out in careful detail before telling anybody.
o You take a few minutes to relax, give yourself time to think, bounce ideas off a colleague, and decide to pursue the idea that makes you feel most confident.
5. Situation: You are walking down the street, suddenly trip, and almost land flat on your face.
Your Response:
o You look around and give anyone who is looking at you a dirty look.
o You turn red with embarrassment, put your head down, start walking, and hope no one noticed.
o You get mad and curse yourself under your breath.
o You regain your poise, laugh at yourself, and continue on your way.
Your Response:
o You look around and give anyone who is looking at you a dirty look.
o You turn red with embarrassment, put your head down, start walking, and hope no one noticed.
o You get mad and curse yourself under your breath.
o You regain your poise, laugh at yourself, and continue on your way.
6. Situation: You are on a first date, and you notice that your date seems to be very uncomfortable.
Your Response:
o You start to obsess that there is something wrong with you.
o You make an effort to get your date involved in a conversation and find out more about him or her.
o You assume your date isn't interested in you -- then start flirting with someone across the room.
o You decide that on your next date you will plan something he/she likes to do, even if you don't enjoy that activity.
Your Response:
o You start to obsess that there is something wrong with you.
o You make an effort to get your date involved in a conversation and find out more about him or her.
o You assume your date isn't interested in you -- then start flirting with someone across the room.
o You decide that on your next date you will plan something he/she likes to do, even if you don't enjoy that activity.
7. Situation: You find out that the promotion you were hoping for was given to someone else.
Your Response:
o You forget about it. You didn't want the job that much anyway.
o You lock yourself in your office and cry.
o You obsess over what the other person had that you didn't and compare yourself to him or her unmercifully.
o You continue to do your best; you know the next promotion is yours.
Your Response:
o You forget about it. You didn't want the job that much anyway.
o You lock yourself in your office and cry.
o You obsess over what the other person had that you didn't and compare yourself to him or her unmercifully.
o You continue to do your best; you know the next promotion is yours.
8. Situation: Your significant other is spending a lot of extra time at the office and acting distant.
Your Response:
o You automatically assume that your partner is having an affair with a coworker.
o You talk to your partner about what is going on at work and see if there is anything you can do to help.
o You have been so busy you haven't noticed.
o You devise a plan to get your partner's attention at all costs.
Your Response:
o You automatically assume that your partner is having an affair with a coworker.
o You talk to your partner about what is going on at work and see if there is anything you can do to help.
o You have been so busy you haven't noticed.
o You devise a plan to get your partner's attention at all costs.
9. Situation: You are hanging out with a group of friends and one of your friends starts to make negative comments about a friend who isn't there.
Your Response:
o You keep quiet and beat yourself up for not saying anything to stop it.
o You add a few negative comments about the friend who isn't there.
o You say nothing at the moment, and later you privately talk about your feelings to your friend who made the comment
o You tell your friend that you don't feel comfortable talking about people who aren't there, and change the subject.
Your Response:
o You keep quiet and beat yourself up for not saying anything to stop it.
o You add a few negative comments about the friend who isn't there.
o You say nothing at the moment, and later you privately talk about your feelings to your friend who made the comment
o You tell your friend that you don't feel comfortable talking about people who aren't there, and change the subject.
10. Situation: Your best friend has recently broken up with someone and is taking it hard.
Your Response:
o You bash your friend's mate and tell your friend that he or she is better off alone.
o You ask your friend what you can do to help him or her get through this.
o You take him or her out for a wild night on the town to get his or her mind off the breakup.
o You start to worry about your own relationship and if you might get dumped.
Your Response:
o You bash your friend's mate and tell your friend that he or she is better off alone.
o You ask your friend what you can do to help him or her get through this.
o You take him or her out for a wild night on the town to get his or her mind off the breakup.
o You start to worry about your own relationship and if you might get dumped.
