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Emotional Intelligence (EQ)

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Emotional intelligence is the ability to sense, understand, and effectively apply the power of the acumen of emotions to facilitate higher levels of collaboration and productivity. Learn about emotional intelligence with this starter Qstream microlearning course.

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Category: Diversity and Inclusion

Industry: All Industries

Questions: 14

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Emotional Intelligence (EQ)

Navigate through the Qstream questions below to preview. Each challenge is designed following Qstream’s best practices for maximum knowledge reinforcement and engagement. This Qstream is free for clients to use as a starting point.

Click on each title to preview the question in the mobile/desktop widget.

1. History of Emotional Intelligence  >
2. Defining Emotional Intelligence  >
3. Understanding Emotional Intelligence  >
4. Increase Self-Awareness  >
5. Areas of Self-Awareness  >
6. Self-Regulation  >
7. Self-Awareness vs. -Regulation  >
8. Areas of Social Awareness  >
9. Increase Social Awareness >
10. Building Social Regulation  >
11. Demonstrate Social Regulation  >
12. Intrinsic Motivation  >
13. Increasing Emotional Intelligence >
14. IQ vs. EQ in Diversity  >

Follow the interactions on each screen to answer Qstream questions as a Participant.

Who among the following introduced the concept of emotional intelligence in their dissertation?

Answer explanation:
In the 1960s, Orval Mowrer first referenced emotions as having a spectrum, much like intelligence. In 1983, the term “emotional intelligence” was coined by W.L. Payne in his dissertation.

However, those credited most for introducing emotional intelligence are Peter Salovey and John Mayer, who wrote an article titled “Emotional Intelligence,” where they presented one of the first organized models of how emotional intelligence could be assessed.

Since Salovey and Mayer, Daniel Goleman has been a leader and pioneer in emotional intelligence. Goleman released his book Emotional Intelligence in 1995.

Emotional intelligence is the ability to sense, understand, and effectively apply the power of the _______ of emotions to facilitate higher levels of collaboration and productivity.

Answer explanation:
Emotional intelligence is the ability to sense, understand, and effectively apply the power of the acumen of emotions to facilitate higher levels of collaboration and productivity. Acumen is keenness and depth of perception, discernment, or discrimination, especially in practical matters.

Emotional intelligence is the ability to identify and manage your own emotions and the emotions of others.

There are five main areas of emotional intelligence:

• Self-awareness
• Self-regulation
• Social awareness
• Social regulation
• Motivation

Which of the following areas of emotional intelligence involves a passion to work for reasons that go beyond the external drive for knowledge, utility, surroundings, others, power, or methodology and are based on the internal drive?

Answer explanation:
Motivation is a passion to work for reasons beyond the external drive for knowledge, utility, surroundings, others, power, or methodology and is based on an internal drive. It also involves focusing on goals and passions while managing your emotions' ups and downs. Emotional intelligence is separated into two parts: self and others. Therefore, motivation is categorized under self.

Trevor presented an idea for a new client relationship management tool. He worked for a month on his proposal. Unfortunately, his manager did not receive his idea well, and it was not implemented. Since receiving the disappointing news, Trevor contributes far fewer ideas, no longer speaks up in meetings and is at times aloof. When his manager notices this change in Trevor’s behavior and asks if he is okay, Trevor replies, “Yes, I’m great.”

Which of the following are examples of how Trevor can increase his self-awareness?

Answer explanation:
In this scenario, Trevor’s idea was not accepted by his manager. Trevor is now aloof and does not contribute as much as before. To increase his self-awareness in this situation, Trevor should maintain a positive attitude, be confident, and take critique well.

We should not underestimate the power of a positive attitude. Emotionally intelligent people are aware of the moods of those around them and guard their attitudes accordingly. They know what they need to do to have a good day and maintain an optimistic outlook.

Common ways to increase self-awareness include the following:
1. Keep an open mind
2. Keep a journal
3. Be introspective
4. Be honest with your feelings

Which of the following is an area of self-awareness?

Answer explanation:
Self-awareness means accurately assessing one’s emotions and being aware of one’s emotions. Self-awareness can grow with our experiences. You can have both internal and external self-awareness. Internal self-awareness deals with how we see our values and aspiration. External self-awareness is how others see us.

There are three main areas of self-awareness:

• Emotional self-awareness
• Accurate self-assessment
• Self-confidence

Mara and Joaquín are having a dispute during a team meeting. They are working on a project and disagree on how to solve a problem with a client. The dispute gets heated when Joaquín, typically mild-mannered and reserved, yells at Mara and calls her incompetent.

Joaquín can best regulate his emotions by doing which of the following?

Answer explanation:
In this scenario, Joaquín, typically mild-mannered, becomes upset during a meeting with Mara. This causes him to lose his cool and shout an insult at Mara. During a heated debate, staying calm is often hard, but regulating your emotions is imperative.

Joaquín should have taken a “time out” from the meeting when he started to notice his emotions were changing from calm to upset. This would have prevented him from offending Mara, as he would have had time to think about how he felt. Secondly, he could have adapted to the situation. Though the discussion was heated, a good strategy would have been to adjust. This could have taken place after his “time out.” Take a time out, then adjust with a more productive and positive approach to the situation.

Common ways to increase self-regulation include the following:

• Identify personal triggers
• Monitor behavior and emotions
• Have power over your emotions
• Take a “time out” when needed
• Be adaptable and flexible

True or False? If you have low self-awareness, you also have low self-regulation.

Answer explanation:
Although self-awareness and self-regulation seem tied to each other, they are not. A person can be great at knowing and assessing how they feel and what they think but lack the tools and skills to regulate those feelings and thoughts. For example, an individual who has received news that they have received a promotion at work and a $20,000 increase in pay may be highly excited and aware of their excitement. Still, because the announcement has not been made public, they cannot outwardly share their feelings with coworkers. Instead, they must regulate those feelings until an appropriate time.

One of the three areas of social awareness, ____ involves the ability to understand and meet the needs of clients and customers.

Answer explanation:
Social awareness involves being aware of the emotions of those around you.
This is where we want to be aware of the perception, thoughts, and ideas of others to have a better interaction with them. Social awareness means we see the world through someone’s eyes.

There are three main areas of social awareness:

1. Empathy—the ability to understand what someone else is feeling, their needs, or their concerns

2. Organizational —understanding the internal and external needs of an organization (politics, economics, people, or social needs)

3. Service—the ability to understand and meet the needs of clients and customers. In a diverse space, these needs can vary from client to client or individual to individual. Also, clients and customers can refer to those needs that are internal, such as those of colleagues, teammates, or direct reports. A service-oriented approach also means recognizing and anticipating needs. There is a sense of compassion for others that fosters a servant leadership style in the workplace. This type of leader wants others to win first and is more concerned with others' needs than their own.

An HR director calls a mandatory all-staff Zoom meeting for the company’s 1,200 employees. The HR director asks that all cameras be turned on. During the conference, he announces that the company will lay off 15% of its staff within the next 45 days due to financial setbacks.

Many of the employees are visibly upset, even crying. Some turn off their camera after the announcement.

After the announcement, the HR Director continues the meeting and goes on to the next topic: training and development.

The HR director could best have displayed social awareness by doing which of the following?

Answer explanation:
In this scenario, the HR director is delivering devastating news that will impact employees’ livelihood and ability to care for their families. When the HR director continues the meeting after the announcement, it shows a low sense of social awareness. He should have ended the meeting immediately after his announcement once he saw the employees’ reactions. This would have demonstrated servant leadership and social awareness. His inability to “read the room” could impact his relationship with his team. Speaking with employees after the meeting illustrates social regulation while being aware of one’s demeanor is self-regulation. The HR director should not pretend to be upset with the decision to lay off employees if he genuinely does not feel that way.

Common ways to increase social awareness include the following:

• Be aware of body language from others
• Be an active listener
• Ask for feedback
• Take time to read the room
• Spend time with and observing others

To build good social regulation, a person must be able to “take the emotional _________” of others and respond in ways that build rapport and common ground.

Answer explanation:
To build good social regulation, a person must be able to “take the emotional temperature” of others and respond in ways that build rapport and common ground.

According to the leading emotional intelligence assessment company, TTI Insights, “social regulation is the ability to influence the emotional clarity of others through a proficiency in managing relationships and building networks.”

Additionally, this involves being aware of your own emotions and using those emotions to build relationships.

Leaders who focus on social regulation understand the importance of workplace relationships and their impact on engagement, retention, and employee experience. In addition, overall effective social regulation can translate into increased production and profits.

There are four main areas of social regulation:

• Influence
• Developing others
• Change catalyst
• Conflict management
• Teamwork and collaboration

Ingrid is an expatriate from Australia who is working in the United States. She is a manager and has worked hard to assimilate into the U.S. culture through conversations and observations.

During a performance review, one of her direct reports, Cory, provides feedback about her approach and communication style. He tells Ingrid that she is very direct and can sometimes be abrasive. This makes it hard for him to work for her.

Which of the following can Ingrid do to demonstrate social regulation?

Answer explanation:
In this scenario, Ingrid works as an expatriate in the United States. However, because she is from Australia, she is not accustomed to the U.S. culture, which includes management styles and how to approach a direct report.

When interacting with her direct report, Cory, she learns that her approach is abrasive, which has impacted their relationship. Ingrid may not have been aware of this and so there was no way for her to regulate it. Gauging how she feels about Cory’s comment and being mindful of her tone are essential and show a sense of self-awareness. Reading Cory’s body language deals with social awareness.

To mend the relationship with Cory, Ingrid can demonstrate social regulation by partnering with him to find a strategy to work together. One of the keys to social regulation is conflict management. How Ingrid manages the conflict with Cory is crucial in maintaining a healthy relationship with him.

Kris is demoted from his role as chairperson of the Veterans Employee Resource Group due to excessive tardiness at work. The position comes with a $500 monthly stipend. Kris is told he can be reinstated after a 90-day review.

Which of the following best describes Kris’ intrinsic motivations to regain his position as chairperson?

Answer explanation:
In this scenario, Kris has been demoted and wants to gain his role as chairperson. To do so, he must be motivated to achieve that goal. Motivation can be either extrinsic or intrinsic. Extrinsic motivators such as the $500 stipend and recognition are ways to help Kris, but they do not have intrinsic forces.

Intrinsic motivations are those from within, those that go beyond tangible and other external forces. When Kris understands why the role is essential, he looks inward for the answer. He is using his internal influences to achieve the goal. Furthermore, the feeling of completing the end goal is a great achievement for Kris and can help him keep his eyes on the prize.

A group of Muslim employees wants to host listening sessions to discuss recent discriminatory and offensive events in their local community. They feel impacted by the events and want to share. They ask their VP of Human Resources and CEO for partnership in this effort. The VP of Human Resources tells them, “This is not an organizational issue, and we do not want to seem political in any way.” This leaves the group feeling defeated.

The organization can show a sense of emotional intelligence by doing which of the following?

Answer explanation:
In this scenario, the VP of Human Resources and the organization did not consider the feelings and perspectives of their Muslim employees. It was perceived that the issue in their community did not impact the organization. However, the personal lives and experiences of employees, staff, and stakeholders immensely impact the organization.

The organization should have been transparent about why they decided not to host the sessions. Though people may not always agree with our reasoning, an emotionally intelligent person would be open and honest about why a decision was made and be prepared for the potential emotional aftermath. Furthermore, to show a sense of social awareness, the VP of Human Resources should have asked the group about their feeling regarding the events. This will help gauge the group's needs that the VP of Human Resources may not be aware of.

True or False? When it comes to understanding diversity, having a high IQ is better than being emotionally intelligent.

Answer explanation:
Though having a high IQ (intelligence quotient) is important, being emotionally intelligent is far more essential for understanding diversity. This is because diversity involves the collective mixture of similarities and differences. An emotionally intelligent person will be able to relate to those who are like them and understand the perspective of those who are not.

According to a 2000 Health and Human Potential survey, "social and emotional abilities were four times more important than IQ in determining professional success and prestige."

Those who are emotionally intelligent can identify, control, and express their own emotions as well as perceive and assess others. This shows in teamwork, leadership, and collaboration. Conversely, high IQs can learn, understand, and apply information and skills. This helps challenge tasks and analysis.

A person can have both a high IQ and be emotionally intelligent.

Who among the following introduced the concept of emotional intelligence in their dissertation?

Answer explanation:
In the 1960s, Orval Mowrer first referenced emotions as having a spectrum, much like intelligence. In 1983, the term “emotional intelligence” was coined by W.L. Payne in his dissertation.

However, those credited most for introducing emotional intelligence are Peter Salovey and John Mayer, who wrote an article titled “Emotional Intelligence,” where they presented one of the first organized models of how emotional intelligence could be assessed.

Since Salovey and Mayer, Daniel Goleman has been a leader and pioneer in emotional intelligence. Goleman released his book Emotional Intelligence in 1995.

Emotional intelligence is the ability to sense, understand, and effectively apply the power of the _______ of emotions to facilitate higher levels of collaboration and productivity.

Answer explanation:
Emotional intelligence is the ability to sense, understand, and effectively apply the power of the acumen of emotions to facilitate higher levels of collaboration and productivity. Acumen is keenness and depth of perception, discernment, or discrimination, especially in practical matters.

Emotional intelligence is the ability to identify and manage your own emotions and the emotions of others.

There are five main areas of emotional intelligence:

• Self-awareness
• Self-regulation
• Social awareness
• Social regulation
• Motivation

Which of the following areas of emotional intelligence involves a passion to work for reasons that go beyond the external drive for knowledge, utility, surroundings, others, power, or methodology and are based on the internal drive?

Answer explanation:
Motivation is a passion to work for reasons beyond the external drive for knowledge, utility, surroundings, others, power, or methodology and is based on an internal drive. It also involves focusing on goals and passions while managing your emotions' ups and downs. Emotional intelligence is separated into two parts: self and others. Therefore, motivation is categorized under self.

Trevor presented an idea for a new client relationship management tool. He worked for a month on his proposal. Unfortunately, his manager did not receive his idea well, and it was not implemented. Since receiving the disappointing news, Trevor contributes far fewer ideas, no longer speaks up in meetings and is at times aloof. When his manager notices this change in Trevor’s behavior and asks if he is okay, Trevor replies, “Yes, I’m great.”

Which of the following are examples of how Trevor can increase his self-awareness?

Answer explanation:
In this scenario, Trevor’s idea was not accepted by his manager. Trevor is now aloof and does not contribute as much as before. To increase his self-awareness in this situation, Trevor should maintain a positive attitude, be confident, and take critique well.

We should not underestimate the power of a positive attitude. Emotionally intelligent people are aware of the moods of those around them and guard their attitudes accordingly. They know what they need to do to have a good day and maintain an optimistic outlook.

Common ways to increase self-awareness include the following:
1. Keep an open mind
2. Keep a journal
3. Be introspective
4. Be honest with your feelings

Which of the following is an area of self-awareness?

Answer explanation:
Self-awareness means accurately assessing one’s emotions and being aware of one’s emotions. Self-awareness can grow with our experiences. You can have both internal and external self-awareness. Internal self-awareness deals with how we see our values and aspiration. External self-awareness is how others see us.

There are three main areas of self-awareness:

• Emotional self-awareness
• Accurate self-assessment
• Self-confidence

Mara and Joaquín are having a dispute during a team meeting. They are working on a project and disagree on how to solve a problem with a client. The dispute gets heated when Joaquín, typically mild-mannered and reserved, yells at Mara and calls her incompetent.

Joaquín can best regulate his emotions by doing which of the following?

Answer explanation:
In this scenario, Joaquín, typically mild-mannered, becomes upset during a meeting with Mara. This causes him to lose his cool and shout an insult at Mara. During a heated debate, staying calm is often hard, but regulating your emotions is imperative.

Joaquín should have taken a “time out” from the meeting when he started to notice his emotions were changing from calm to upset. This would have prevented him from offending Mara, as he would have had time to think about how he felt. Secondly, he could have adapted to the situation. Though the discussion was heated, a good strategy would have been to adjust. This could have taken place after his “time out.” Take a time out, then adjust with a more productive and positive approach to the situation.

Common ways to increase self-regulation include the following:

• Identify personal triggers
• Monitor behavior and emotions
• Have power over your emotions
• Take a “time out” when needed
• Be adaptable and flexible

True or False? If you have low self-awareness, you also have low self-regulation.

Answer explanation:
Although self-awareness and self-regulation seem tied to each other, they are not. A person can be great at knowing and assessing how they feel and what they think but lack the tools and skills to regulate those feelings and thoughts. For example, an individual who has received news that they have received a promotion at work and a $20,000 increase in pay may be highly excited and aware of their excitement. Still, because the announcement has not been made public, they cannot outwardly share their feelings with coworkers. Instead, they must regulate those feelings until an appropriate time.

One of the three areas of social awareness, ____ involves the ability to understand and meet the needs of clients and customers.

Answer explanation:
Social awareness involves being aware of the emotions of those around you.
This is where we want to be aware of the perception, thoughts, and ideas of others to have a better interaction with them. Social awareness means we see the world through someone’s eyes.

There are three main areas of social awareness:

1. Empathy—the ability to understand what someone else is feeling, their needs, or their concerns

2. Organizational —understanding the internal and external needs of an organization (politics, economics, people, or social needs)

3. Service—the ability to understand and meet the needs of clients and customers. In a diverse space, these needs can vary from client to client or individual to individual. Also, clients and customers can refer to those needs that are internal, such as those of colleagues, teammates, or direct reports. A service-oriented approach also means recognizing and anticipating needs. There is a sense of compassion for others that fosters a servant leadership style in the workplace. This type of leader wants others to win first and is more concerned with others' needs than their own.

An HR director calls a mandatory all-staff Zoom meeting for the company’s 1,200 employees. The HR director asks that all cameras be turned on. During the conference, he announces that the company will lay off 15% of its staff within the next 45 days due to financial setbacks.

Many of the employees are visibly upset, even crying. Some turn off their camera after the announcement.

After the announcement, the HR Director continues the meeting and goes on to the next topic: training and development.

The HR director could best have displayed social awareness by doing which of the following?

Answer explanation:
In this scenario, the HR director is delivering devastating news that will impact employees’ livelihood and ability to care for their families. When the HR director continues the meeting after the announcement, it shows a low sense of social awareness. He should have ended the meeting immediately after his announcement once he saw the employees’ reactions. This would have demonstrated servant leadership and social awareness. His inability to “read the room” could impact his relationship with his team. Speaking with employees after the meeting illustrates social regulation while being aware of one’s demeanor is self-regulation. The HR director should not pretend to be upset with the decision to lay off employees if he genuinely does not feel that way.

Common ways to increase social awareness include the following:

• Be aware of body language from others
• Be an active listener
• Ask for feedback
• Take time to read the room
• Spend time with and observing others

To build good social regulation, a person must be able to “take the emotional _________” of others and respond in ways that build rapport and common ground.

Answer explanation:
To build good social regulation, a person must be able to “take the emotional temperature” of others and respond in ways that build rapport and common ground.

According to the leading emotional intelligence assessment company, TTI Insights, “social regulation is the ability to influence the emotional clarity of others through a proficiency in managing relationships and building networks.”

Additionally, this involves being aware of your own emotions and using those emotions to build relationships.

Leaders who focus on social regulation understand the importance of workplace relationships and their impact on engagement, retention, and employee experience. In addition, overall effective social regulation can translate into increased production and profits.

There are four main areas of social regulation:

• Influence
• Developing others
• Change catalyst
• Conflict management
• Teamwork and collaboration

Ingrid is an expatriate from Australia who is working in the United States. She is a manager and has worked hard to assimilate into the U.S. culture through conversations and observations.

During a performance review, one of her direct reports, Cory, provides feedback about her approach and communication style. He tells Ingrid that she is very direct and can sometimes be abrasive. This makes it hard for him to work for her.

Which of the following can Ingrid do to demonstrate social regulation?

Answer explanation:
In this scenario, Ingrid works as an expatriate in the United States. However, because she is from Australia, she is not accustomed to the U.S. culture, which includes management styles and how to approach a direct report.

When interacting with her direct report, Cory, she learns that her approach is abrasive, which has impacted their relationship. Ingrid may not have been aware of this and so there was no way for her to regulate it. Gauging how she feels about Cory’s comment and being mindful of her tone are essential and show a sense of self-awareness. Reading Cory’s body language deals with social awareness.

To mend the relationship with Cory, Ingrid can demonstrate social regulation by partnering with him to find a strategy to work together. One of the keys to social regulation is conflict management. How Ingrid manages the conflict with Cory is crucial in maintaining a healthy relationship with him.

Kris is demoted from his role as chairperson of the Veterans Employee Resource Group due to excessive tardiness at work. The position comes with a $500 monthly stipend. Kris is told he can be reinstated after a 90-day review.

Which of the following best describes Kris’ intrinsic motivations to regain his position as chairperson?

Answer explanation:
In this scenario, Kris has been demoted and wants to gain his role as chairperson. To do so, he must be motivated to achieve that goal. Motivation can be either extrinsic or intrinsic. Extrinsic motivators such as the $500 stipend and recognition are ways to help Kris, but they do not have intrinsic forces.

Intrinsic motivations are those from within, those that go beyond tangible and other external forces. When Kris understands why the role is essential, he looks inward for the answer. He is using his internal influences to achieve the goal. Furthermore, the feeling of completing the end goal is a great achievement for Kris and can help him keep his eyes on the prize.

A group of Muslim employees wants to host listening sessions to discuss recent discriminatory and offensive events in their local community. They feel impacted by the events and want to share. They ask their VP of Human Resources and CEO for partnership in this effort. The VP of Human Resources tells them, “This is not an organizational issue, and we do not want to seem political in any way.” This leaves the group feeling defeated.

The organization can show a sense of emotional intelligence by doing which of the following?

Answer explanation:
In this scenario, the VP of Human Resources and the organization did not consider the feelings and perspectives of their Muslim employees. It was perceived that the issue in their community did not impact the organization. However, the personal lives and experiences of employees, staff, and stakeholders immensely impact the organization.

The organization should have been transparent about why they decided not to host the sessions. Though people may not always agree with our reasoning, an emotionally intelligent person would be open and honest about why a decision was made and be prepared for the potential emotional aftermath. Furthermore, to show a sense of social awareness, the VP of Human Resources should have asked the group about their feeling regarding the events. This will help gauge the group's needs that the VP of Human Resources may not be aware of.

True or False? When it comes to understanding diversity, having a high IQ is better than being emotionally intelligent.

Answer explanation:
Though having a high IQ (intelligence quotient) is important, being emotionally intelligent is far more essential for understanding diversity. This is because diversity involves the collective mixture of similarities and differences. An emotionally intelligent person will be able to relate to those who are like them and understand the perspective of those who are not.

According to a 2000 Health and Human Potential survey, "social and emotional abilities were four times more important than IQ in determining professional success and prestige."

Those who are emotionally intelligent can identify, control, and express their own emotions as well as perceive and assess others. This shows in teamwork, leadership, and collaboration. Conversely, high IQs can learn, understand, and apply information and skills. This helps challenge tasks and analysis.

A person can have both a high IQ and be emotionally intelligent.

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