Trait of Leader
As the commentary and the book talked about, trait approach is one of the importance approaches to study leadership. It discussed the Five Factor Model (FFM) of personality which consists of extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, and openness to experience. It also discussed the dark-side of personality traits that related to leadership which are argumentative, interpersonal insensitivity, narcissism, fear of failure, perfectionism, and impulsivity. Intelligence is also related to leadership. However, it’s not only the intelligence quotient (IQ) matters; emotional intelligence (EQ) plays a very important role too.
Although in the book and commentary, author paid special attention on one’s IQ rather than EQ. I do not agree. According to our textbook, leadership is defined as “a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal.” (Northouse 2013)A good leader has to be warm-hearted, and care for his or her employees in order to bring the team together and to interact with the employees well. This is an important process where the leader could influence a group of individuals. There are research evidences to support that EQ is as important IQ. “A Fortune 500 company in financial services proved that their high EQ salespeople produced 18 percent more than the lower EQ salespeople. One recent study conducted by a Dallas corporation measured that the productivity difference between their low scoring emotional intelligence employees and their high scoring emotional intelligence employees was 20 times. A Texas-based Fortune 500 Company had utilized personality assessments for candidate selection for years with little results in reducing turnover in their high turnover sales force. After turning to an emotional intelligence-based selection assessment and EQ training and development program, they increased retention by 67 percent in the first year, which they calculated added $32 million to their bottom line in reduced turnover costs and increased sales revenues.”
Also, there is one sentence in the commentary that I cannot agree anymore. The commentary says that different culture might need different leaders in order to maximum the productivity. According to my personal experience, Chinese people pay more attention to benevolence, emotional intelligence, and care-giving. However, in the United States, people pay more attention to individual achievement, for example, IQ rather than EQ.
In conclusion, due to the culture influence I’ve growing up with, which is in China, I think EQ is more important than IQ.
References
Poskey, M. (n.d.). The Importance of Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace: Why It Matters More than Personality. InZeroriskhr. Retrieved June 18, 2013, from http://www.zeroriskhr.com/articles/emotionalintelligence.aspx