Emotional Intelligence test
This self-assessment questionnaire is designed to get you thinking about the various competences of emotional intelligence as they apply to you.
Daniel Goleman first brought ’emotional intelligence’ to a wide audience with his 1995 book of that name. He found that while the qualities traditionally associated with leadership such as intelligence, toughness, determination and vision are required for success, they are insufficient. Truly effective leaders are also distinguished by a high degree of emotional intelligence, which includes:
- Self-awareness
The ability to recognise what you are feeling, to understand your habitual emotional responses to events and to recognise how your emotions affect your behaviour and performance. When you are self-aware, you see yourself as others see you, and have a good sense of your own abilities and current limitations. - Managing emotions
The ability to stay focused and think clearly even when experiencing powerful emotions. Being able to manage your own emotional state is essential for taking responsibility for your actions, and can save you from hasty decisions that you later regret. - Motivating oneself
The ability to use your deepest emotions to move and guide you towards your goals. This ability enables you to take the initiative and to persevere in the face of obstacles and setbacks. - Empathy
The ability to sense, understand and respond to what other people are feeling.
Self-awareness is essential to having empathy with others. If you are not aware of your own emotions, you will not be able to read the emotions of others. - Social Skill
The ability to manage, influence and inspire emotions in others.
Being able to handle emotions in relationships and being able to influence and inspire others are essential foundation skills for successful teamwork and leadership.
What to do
- Assess and score each of the questionnaire’s statements.
Score your assessment, using a scale where
     – 1 indicates that the statement does NOT apply at all
     – 3 indicates that the statement applies about half the time
     – 5 indicates that the statement ALWAYS applies to you - Total and interpret your results
    – Transfer your scores to the calculation table and total your results.
Remember, this tool is not a validated psychometric test – the answers you give are likely to vary depending on your mood when you take it. - Consider your results and identify one or two actions you can take immediately to strengthen your emotional intelligence.
    – Put your actions into your Well-being@work plan.
Interpret your totals for each area of competency using the following guide.
| 35-50 | This area is a strength for you. |
| 18-34 | Giving attention to where you feel you are weakest will pay dividends. |
| 10-17 | Make this area a development priority. |