Square pegs in square holes
The IQ versus EQ debate rumbles on but what really matters, advocates Philip Rodney, is that the people with the right skills are doing the right jobs.
Philip Rodney, Consultant and non-executive director Rimalower Consulting
philip.rodney@rimalowerconsulting.com
Decades ago, when I was at school there was a guy in my form who was absolutely brilliant academically. To protect his identity and so avoid defamation proceedings, I will refer to him only as Stephen (not his first name).
Genius is a word that is overused, but Stephen definitely deserved that epithet. Cuthbert Jason Cringeworthy, the teacher’s pet in The Bash Street Kids had clearly been modelled on him or vice-versa.
As was the way in those days, the very brightest kids like him went on to study medicine. (Incidentally, Jackie Mason, the legendary New York stand-up comedian, when talking about this phenomenon, observed that you only studied law if you couldn’t stand the sight of blood, and accountancy “if your brain don’t work at all.”)
Taking case notes is an important part of the learning process for a young doctor. On his first ward round, Stephen’s first question to his first patient was, “Do you live in squalor?” Needless to say, the jaws of the supervising professor and the other students huddled around the bed dropped. That was followed by a minute of stunned silence.
Now in the abstract, one can see the reasoning behind Stephen’s inquiry. Gaining an understanding of the background circumstances of the patient was a legitimate line of inquiry. It may be that a lack of hygiene was responsible for the illness. Perhaps the home environment provided a clue to the social conditions that were the trigger for the underlying health problem. But the way in which the question was posed was insensitive, condescending and offensive. Whether accidental or deliberate, it suggested Stephen cared more about the disease than the patient.
I tell you this story to illustrate the difference between IQ and EQ. IQ measures our intellectual capability and our cognitive ability to retain information, solve problems and make decisions. On the other hand, emotional intelligence (sometimes known as emotional quotient or EQ), provides us with the ability to understand our emotions and those of others, so as to communicate effectively by breaking down barriers and as a result overcome challenges and resolve conflicts.
Businesses don’t prosper in the abstract. Few flourish just because of the brilliance of a product or service. What generally makes them successful is the way in which they engage.
“What is crucial is not that every employee features high on both the IQ and EQ balance sheets, but rather that the people with the right skills are doing the right jobs.”
That requires them to understand the often-invisible human triggers in the transactional day-to day relationships firms have with their stakeholders - their teams, customers, regulators, lenders - the list goes on. That requires connections built on empathy and sensitivity. It needs us to not only look beyond the business offering itself, but also understand the drivers of the counterparty. Focus on these emotional skills must therefore feature in our recruitment and training strategies.
I’m sure that none of this is controversial or novel. But that doesn’t mean that everyone in your organisation must have highly developed emotional intelligence.
Businesses tend to become overly obsessed with attracting neurotypical people - those with both high IQ and EQ. The phrase “on the spectrum” is often used as a snide put-down or, more generously, applied in a patronising manner.
While it is dangerous to generalise, people on the autistic spectrum, including those with Asperger’s often see things differently. Their cognitive processes are distinct. They tend to be good visual and systematic thinkers, are often hyper-focused and generally have higher levels of optimism and ambition.
Many high performing businesses, which I’m sure you can identify, have benefited from the contributions and even leadership of those whose intellectual ability is highly developed but whose emotional skills are perhaps more challenged.
Over the last decade, companies such as Microsoft, Google and Apple have initiated autism recruitment initiatives. This hasn’t been done to combat autistic unemployment, but because the recruits can be exceptional people who bring something positive and different to their businesses.
What is crucial is not that every employee features high on both the IQ and EQ balance sheets, but rather that the people with the right skills are doing the right jobs.
P.S. There is a happy ending to Stephen’s story. He was steered away from a career as a practicing doctor and instead went on to become an incredibly successful research fellow. His findings contributed to a material way to the advancement of medical technology in a way that has improved many lives.