Emotional intelligence predicts performance and success

Helle Jørnung

At Best Talent recruiting candidates for Life Sciences is taken beyond the usual level of outlining skills and competences. Emotional intelligence is the key to success also within Life Sciences.

In a high performing environment intensely focused on intelligence (as measured by IQ), skills, and competences it may come as a surprise that the emotional intelligence (EQ) rather than the IQ is an indicator of how successful you will become.

“Research now points to EQ as being the critical factor for star performances and business success directly linked to level in the hierarchy and salary, and more so than the IQ,” Helle Jørnung ,Managing Director at Best Talent explains, carrying on, “And this is data driven

– I might add. ”She refers to studies demonstrating that among 90% of top-performers the EQ is more pronounced than the IQ and that among 20% of bottom performers the EQ is fairly low. Acknowledging emotional intelligence as a key instrument to finding the right candidate who will also live up to the employer’s expectations on performance is quite essential by the book of Best Talent.

Assessing both IQ and EQ

“Life science is a hard core data driven business area, and it only comes natural to be highly focused on university degrees, professional skills and expertise during the process of recruiting.

The point is however, that the highly skilled candidate, who may appear perfect on paper, may end up being a poor performer.

EQ can be acquired

The consultants at Best Talent have accepted the fact that it takes more than masters of science or business, PhD’s and publication lists to demonstrate what added value as an employee a candidate will bring. Hence, the EQ as well as IQ assess every candidate – and the results are integrated to match the expectations, demands, culture, values etc. of the employer. “IQ is a constant factor – that does not change much over time. EQ however, is a set of competences that can be acquired and developed in time. EQ grows on us – so to speak – as we grow as human beings physically and mentally. Our model takes this into account, and with this tool we have a unique method to predict who will match a specific job – and the working place, ”she says, and ends, “Testing the EQ alongside the IQ is a unique way to identify and match the right candidates with focus of delivering high performing and successful employees to our life science clients.”

FACTS ABOUT Best Talent

• Best Talent Performs Executive Search in Scandinavia and globally with an Executive Life Science Organisation of Headhunters located in more than 40 countries.

The key to solving this discrepancy is to assess and evaluate the EQ as well as the IQ of candidates,” Helle Jørnung says.