Part I: Getting Started with the EQ-i 2.0

Introduction

Application of the EQ-i 2.0

In the Workplace

The EQ-i 2.0 and EQ 360 2.0 are versatile in workplace environments. For instance, because of the brevity and the multifaceted information that it supplies, the EQ-i 2.0 can be used by employers (via HR and OD consultants, psychologists, or EQ-i 2.0 certified users) to provide greater insight when looking for emotionally healthy and high potential personnel. Supplemented by additional sources of information, such as interviews and the results of other assessments, the EQ-i 2.0 can make the recruitment and selection process more reliable and more efficient.

In a career development context, the EQ-i 2.0 and EQ 360 2.0 can be used with current staff to evaluate ongoing functioning and well-being of employees, particularly when this functioning is linked to organizational competency frameworks or other performance metrics that indicate success within a given organization. It may also be a tool for gauging the impact and effectiveness of organizational change and restructuring (i.e., before and after organizational changes). The EQ-i 2.0 also enables qualified professionals to create tailor-made training programs to improve the emotional skills and functioning of employees, teams, and the company as a whole.

The EQ-i 2.0, can also be useful in group or team development. Particularly useful in this regard is the EQ 360 2.0 assessment, a multirater feedback instrument that is invaluable for assessing an individual’s strengths/weakness from a self/others’ perspective (i.e., comparison of ratings from observers together with ratings on the EQ-i 2.0). A large part of effective and smooth teamwork is knowing each member’s strengths and weaknesses and leveraging those strengths whenever possible. Pinpointing this kind of information can prove to be a bonding experience that unifies, synchronizes, and/or strengthens the group.

In Placement (Star Performer Profiles)

The EQ-i 2.0 can be used to predict a candidate’s likelihood of success, compared to high performers in a particular role or position. The process involves benchmarking emotional intelligence skills to determine the subscales that are associated with high performance in specific roles, training or academic programs, or other placements. The resulting profiles, sometimes referred to as “star performer profiles,” can be used to increase the reliability and efficiency of a selection or approval process by providing a critical perspective about the skills that candidates will need to perform in their roles. Benchmarking also provides a way to evaluate a candidate’s fit against organizational/situational culture and results in increased potential for success and retention. Training and coaching become more effective, as they can be targeted at emotional and social skills that are empirically linked with high performance. Additionally, training can give individuals opportunities to learn the specific skills they will need to move along specific career paths.

In Academic Institutions

In the last decade, the topic of emotional intelligence has become integral to many post-secondary school curricula. From first-year Psychology survey courses to Master’s-level HR and MBA programs, the principle of balancing academic with emotional and social strengths has become a cornerstone in the education of many.

• The EQ-i 2.0 provides a powerful teaching tool because it
• employs a teachable, multifactor model of EI that makes it easy to orient students to the concept of EI;
• provides insightful, personalized results to students in a time-efficient manner; and
  is a real-life example of HR tools being used in successful businesses.

The EQ-i 2.0 can be used to help educate students to be more aware of their emotions and those of others, to be successful reality testers and problem solvers, to cope better with stress, to be less impulsive, to be more positive about themselves, to get along better with others, and to enjoy their lives. Such “emotional training” adds an important aspect to education in that it would prepare learners to better cope with environmental demands and increase their ability to function and succeed in life.

The EQ-i 2.0 can also be used in educational settings, such as high schools, technical schools, colleges, and universities, to help school psychologists and counselors identify students who are less likely to adequately cope with scholastic demands that could lead to dropping out of school and/or the possible development of emotional problems. Low scores in general, or as compared to well-performing student profiles (see the previous section), can offer insight into counseling these students.

For guidance and career counselors, EQ-i 2.0 results may also serve as a basis for discussions about vocational and educational options. For instance, if a student is found to have difficulty in handling stress, becoming an air traffic controller may not be the best career choice. Further, if the EI profile indicates that a respondent currently has poor interpersonal skills, counselors could advise the student to take a course or enroll in a training program in this area.

For a review of the literature covering emotional intelligence in academic institutions, please refer to The Building Blocks of Emotional Intelligence.

As Part of Intervention

A growing body of research shows that the EQ-i has been helpful in a variety of clinical, medical, and public safety applications:

• In psychodiagnostics, the EQ-i 2.0 could be used to assess the patient’s general degree of emotional intelligence, potential for emotional health, and present psychological well-being (Please see The Building Blocks of Emotional Intelligence). It can be applied to map out areas that need further exploration in the assessment process, as well as to help determine the overall need for therapy, establish clear therapeutic goals, decide on when to terminate therapy, and evaluate the successfulness of the therapy or intervention program.
• The inventory can also be used in assessing the potential for success for those being considered for substance abuse rehabilitation. Research findings presented in The Building Blocks of Emotional Intelligence provide a good example of how the EQ‑i 2.0 can be used to predict an individual’s ability to benefit from such programs.
• When examining prisoners under consideration for parole, the EQ-i 2.0 can help predict recidivism (Smith, 2001). Prisoners with higher EQ-i scores (especially on the Empathy, Social Responsibility, Problem Solving, Stress Tolerance, and Impulse Control subscales) have a better chance of not returning to prison.
• Group administration of the EQ-i 2.0 can also help to predict the outcomes of various interventions; it can be used in cost-efficiency evaluations of remedial programs, therapeutic modalities, and treatment-oriented community services (Please refer to The Building Blocks of Emotional Intelligence).