Quick question: What do you think is more important to career success – people skills or technical skills? Both as it turns out. Bell Labs studied emotional quotient, the EQ, and found it is as important to your long-term success as your IQ. IQ, the Intelligence Quotient, was once prized to be the key to career success. So, emotional and behavioral management is another key element of self management.
Gen-Zer’s are the first full-on digital generation. Gen Z’s were born between 1995 and 2010. They may have the lowest EQ, social maturity, and communications ability of any generation. They’ve used, learned, socialized, and worked with smart phones since birth. If you’re in doubt, talk to any young person who has been hovering over his or her smart phone for over 20 years. Their EQ can be abysmal as interactions with this generations demonstrate.
EQ includes: grit, passion, likeability, communications, drive, and motivation, which are important work and life success factors. Many motivated average or less than average IQ people have excelled in life and work through focused desire and drive.
Work Lesson Earned: So, what does success have to do with smarts? I know middling intelligent VUCANs who’ve made it big. Some wrote best-selling mystery books, designed killer products, built a killer app, or sold real estate. Some of these VUCANs seem like they belonged in Densa not Mensa, the genius organization. What did they all share? High EQ with risk taking and grit.
Each of us has one or multiple core competencies or practices. Smart VUCANs in life learn to identify, develop, and capitalize them. What’s critical to your life and work success? What does success mean to you? Success goes beyond intelligence. So, understand what it takes to excel in your field or profession.