Thursday 19 December 2019

Who runs the world? GIRLS? …a case for Emotional Intelligence


And while I might have titled this article in a way that sounds Beyoncé-ish, I have also heard that hips don’t lie, well, that is quite Shakira-ish, but I cannot confirm that hip-allegation either. What I do know for sure is that, lips do lie, a lot, so let’s talk about what doesn’t; RESULTS, because I am a strong believer in tests and measurements. For example; the Forbes magazine recently presented research findings that an increase of women in leadership is helping businesses to thrive in unprecedented ways” And according to a recent CNBC survey, Women-led companies have more engaged and inspired employees. And as if that is not already a mouthful of a claim, a research focusing on top grossing movies between 2014 and 2017, found that global box-office movies with women protagonists out-earned movies starring male protagonists across all budget levels. Come to think of it; could that be why they say ‘behind every successful man is a woman? …and which could soon turn to, ‘behind every successful company is a lady? While you hold that thought, who REALLY runs the word?

The waves of feminism have given birth to the rise and rise of women who have shown anyone who still doubts that woman are indeed equal to the task of taking charge of their own destinies. That, when given the opportunity of taking charge of the destinies of companies and countries, and even when such opportunities are not given to them, yes, they have also shown beyond any doubt that they can put up a good fight, and emerge with the victory. Indeed Whitaker was right;

“The true wealth of a community is measured by how carefully it listens to its women and how sincerely it values their wisdom. Empowering women empowers us all”

Whereas sayings to the effect that If you educate a man, you educate an individual, but if you educate a woman, you educate a nation” soon turn into clichés and statements made for political correctness, they hold fundamental truths that that relate to the success of a people, families and nations. There is something in such maxims that women and ‘we men’ could borrow a leaf from. So, why are women-led companies better for employees, making more money, and thriving more compared to others? Well, what if such differences could just be traced the some differences between men and women?

There are no enough forests with enough trees to produce enough paper upon which to write everything we currently know about women, leave alone their comparison to men, so I think this is a good place to get emotional. And you wonder why? It is because psychological researchers seem to agree that compared to men, women are different from men their emotional expressiveness. Emotional expression simply refers to how one resolves and/ or conveys emotional states through both verbal and nonverbal behavior. In this regard, the most recent buzz-word in the corporate world as far as emotions are concerned is Emotional Intelligence (EQ), which is ‘the ability to identify, assess, and control one's own emotions, the emotions of others, and that of groups’ And what has this to do with what? CURRENT RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT WOMEN SCORE HIGHER THAN MEN IN EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE. …yes, there you have it!

Emotional intelligence involves four competences which fall into two groups: (i) Personal competences: involve (a) Self-awareness, (b) Personal management; and (ii) Social competences: involve (c) Social awareness and (d) People skills. It seems that ‘a flawed masculinity with a low EQ’ may never such abilities as important, yet they seem to be more developed among women who seem to possess a ‘care givers gene’ at early stages as they learn how to take care of their baby dolls. 

Emotions are the primary drivers’ of behaviour, and knowing how to work with our motions and those of others is a key skill. Instead of trying to aggressively fight their way up by outdoing everyone, people of high EQ become the leaders who work with and help people in whatever capacity they are in, understanding that supporting other people is the only way to win their trust and respect, while at the same time making sure that winning respect is not the goal. Where individuals of low EQ work with their hands and heads, individuals with of high EQ work with their hearts and soul. They are polite, kind, cool, calm, and collected even under pressure, and have learned the importance of investing in social currency. We all can master such skills for one reason, they matter both at a personal level and at a professional level, whether you are employed, self-employed or an employee, EQ is a foundation for many other critical life skills.

2 comments:

  1. Now I'm thinking about the possible reasons for which women are more emotionally intelligent than men. Is this report a worldwide one? At least, I know the African culture provides a fertile ground for women to be more emotionally intelligent than men. But then, does it apply in other climes too?

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  2. This is very true.
    I only do business with people who treat me nicely and most men have had to catch up with EQ at the corporate sector lest they lose money.

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