What's Your EQ?

No, that’s spelled right. It does say, “What’s your EQ?” We know what IQ is, intelligent quotient. Is it possibly safe to say that whenever you have considered leaving a current job that you’ve probably not said, “Gee I just wasn’t smart enough for that job?” Most likely you haven’t. However, you may have indeed been in a job and said, “I just don’t really understand the culture here.”

Once a month, here is a suggestion; Ask yourself these 3 questions:

1. What am I not doing that I should be doing and what would it look like? Am I giving my 100% to my job and is that leading to the best performance I can give to my employer? Am I meeting the goals established by me or for me as it relates to my job? Have I contributed to the success of my employer? This is a good question that should lead to some job security. If you have contributed, given it your all, and have been recognized for the work you have contributed, you are at least one step further toward being seen as a valuable and productive employee.
2. What is the next step in my development? Are you anxious to improve yourself? Has your company indicated to you that you need to learn more to be promoted? Ask your superiors, “What are the skills that I need for the next level, step by step?” If you’ve been in sales, and in order to be promoted to management, maybe you need some exposure to accounting. See if you can shadow that team for a few days or more. There is always something else that you can do (outside of your regular job) that you can do to improve. Create a 6 month development plan, something that is not connected to your pay. Then practice learning or observing. 
3. (The magic one) How can I help you? Then Deliver! What power in this question! How would you feel if you were on an important task and a co-worker came up to you and asked you that? This is what is also known as “internal customer service”. It’s what leads directly to teamwork efficiency. Jack Welch (former CEO of General Electric), in his book Topgrading cites a particular management philosophy of cutting the bottom 10% of your workforce every year! Essentially he is constantly “raising the bar” by 10% every year. If you as an employee are an average employee today, i.e. at the 50% mark, then by theory if you don’t try to constantly improve yourself, you may be the one that is in the 10% cut in 5 years. Is that alarming, or what?

Imagine the culture that creates such a positive, helping atmosphere. “How can I help you?” Can you imagine how your supervisor would feel about you at the next opportunity to consider someone for promotion, or raises if you were the one that had been indicating your willingness to help, and you followed through? Sooner or later, they will remember you. Can you imagine how much of an effect on the business’ productivity you could have if your actions spread to others. It could have a really dynamic effect such as found in the movie, Pay it Forward.

As simple as it sounds, most people still won’t change basic behaviors, so you as an employee have the power to have a differential and competitive edge, including where it relates to other employees. When it comes time for advancement opportunities, you will have easily laid the groundwork. At the very least, you will have left a great impression upon those around you and if your company has not noticed you, those that really know you can become some of your very best references!

If you lay out your plan for development and then once a month ask yourself the 3 preceding questions, you should be able to watch your career take off.

By the way, EQ could mean many things, but for the purposes of this article, it stands for “Emotional Quotient”.