By Avantika Swali
Emotional quotient versus intelligence quotient has been a constant debate; this article will determine the ideal ratio of EQ and IQ for an exemplary leader. To begin with, what are the qualities that define a good leader?
A leader should be many things, not limited to just being good at the task they are leading. However, a leader must primarily have thorough knowledge about their field to guide those working under them. Reinforcing the last statement, a leader must also have adequate communication skills to navigate effectively. A leader must also be self-motivated and passionate, qualities that are contagious. Decisiveness and directness are essential to any leader. However, empathy and honesty are equally, if not more important.
While we know that they are highly significant, we must pose the question, what are EQ and IQ? EQ or emotional quotient is the ability to recognize, use, and control one's own emotions in a constructive manner to reduce stress, communicate effectively, empathize with others, overcome obstacles, and diffuse conflict. EQ covers a vast range of characteristics, many of which are crucial to a leader. A high EQ aids in the development of connections, the reduction of team tension, the resolution of conflict, and the enhancement of job satisfaction. IQ or intelligence quotient is a measure of a person's ability to reason. In a nutshell, it's designed to see how well someone can utilize reasoning and knowledge to answer questions and make predictions. Short-term and long-term memory are measured in IQ tests to begin assessing this. They also determine how effectively and rapidly people can solve puzzles and retain information. IQ measures intelligence potential, but it serves no guarantee for success as it does not factor in determination, diligence, motivation, and many other requisite factors for success.
The previous paragraphs addressed a list of qualities essential for any adequate leader and defined emotional and intelligence quotients. This paragraph shall divide those qualities into two fundamental categories, EQ and IQ. EQ is significantly broader, so naturally, it will include more qualities. Communication skills, empathy, honesty, directness, motivation, and passion, are components of an exceptional leader; they all come under the broad wing of EQ. IQ, being more specific, is limited to intelligence and potential; it includes decisiveness, the ability to retain information and rapid problem-solving. However, we could argue that while decisiveness is crucial, the ability to retain information and 'rapid' problem solving are secondary because a leader need not have a perfect memory or the ability to solve problems quickly. Instead, it may be more productive to possess teamwork skills to work at a solution together.
In conclusion, I believe that the proportion of EQ should be higher than that of IQ for an exemplary leader because IQ is limited to intelligence potential; it is not a guarantee of success. There is no denying that IQ is valuable; however, the qualities that come under the broad wing of EQ are essential for any proficient leader.
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