Research by test producers MHS of Canada has shown that HR professionals score substantially higher than average (110 v 100) when their Emotional intelligence (EQ) is measured. This research is being confirmed by recent EQ profiling conducted by Buckholdt Associates, the UK experts in Emotional Intelligence. HR professionals’ composite scores and their sub-scales are all well above average, indicating that as a group they are psychologically healthy and exceptionally able to work with the staff in their organisations.
Dr Steven Stein, President of MHS says, " the findings indicate that HR professionals can understand and relate well to other people. They function well in positions that require teamwork and cooperation, but they are strong and confident in conveying their ideas and beliefs. These capacities are essential for work that is so people focused."
HR professionals scored most highly on the social cooperation, empathy and adaptability scales. Significantly they also score high on reality testing which indicates their capacity to see through the image a person may be conveying to what they are really like.
The lower scores were found on the Independence and Optimism scales. This seems to reinforce the view that their predilection is for cooperation and democratic decision making. Their average Optimism score of (102) may point to their reaction to the situation throughout the nineties when they have been called on to deal with the human fallout from the changes sweeping the workplace. They know better than most that just having a positive outlook does not mean that you can control the fate of people who are downsized or asked to cope with more than they can manage.
Elizabeth Morris, partner at Buckholdt Associates, the human performance consultants comments that, "The HR professionals' job is an essential function within the workplace now. They are the buffer between management demanding higher performance from fewer people and the workforce who need to be supported and developed to cope with the demand. They need to have high Emotional intelligence themselves and Emotional Intelligence profiling can help them even more by indicating how resilient a staff member is going to be to the demands being made of them."
For details about Emotional Intelligence testing and development call Elizabeth Morris, Buckholdt Associates Tel: +44 1452 74 1106. Fax: + 44 1452 74 1520. Email: bholdt@globalnet.co.uk
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EDITORS NOTES
Editors notes
Buckholdt Associates is a human performance consultancy and training organisation based in Gloucestershire and working in companies nationally. There are two partners both of whom specialise in emotional intelligence measurement and development. They have worked in this field for the last twenty years and have run emotional competence programmes for individuals, organisations and public bodies during this time. The University of Bristol is currently running their Self Motivation and Emotional Intelligence programme and they are members of the IMC faculty.
Buckholdt Associates are accredited to administer four validated EQ tests. The EQ Map, the EQ-i, SMS EQ profile and the ECI 360.
