Wisdom Weekly: EQ, the Silver Bullet

In a recent conversation with a great client, she said “I love EQ, and I know that it is not a silver bullet, but…”

As we continued talking about EQ, it dawned on me that EQ IS a silver bullet. There are lots of tools that are great—that address other areas of human psychology and personality with different vocabulary and focal points, but EQ (Emotional Intelligence) is always helpful and powerful—which makes it a silver bullet of sorts.

One of the key components of the EQ-i 2.0 that makes it so powerful is its ability to emphasize your agency—your personal belief in your power and self-worth. I see it all the time; folks have a vision of who they are, and their choices become a self-fulfilling prophecy. They never imagine they could change, so they don’t. EQ is an objective, scientific, and unbiased reminder that our actions are choices, each of which bring effects.

Research has found and defined these 15 core elements as fundamental human behaviors—actions and abilities that cross-culturally people acknowledge, notice, and care about. How much, how readily, and how often do you use these behaviors? These are the questions that the EQ-i assessment answers. These behavioral choices and actions may be unintentional, but their effects are tangible. Someone with low Emotional Expression may not be intentionally trying to depress their reactions, but the model of EQ-i can help that person understand the impact of such infrequent expression. Someone with unusually high Self-Actualization may not realize their friends are sick of everything turning into a grinding challenge, but EQ opens that conversation.

Your behavioral choices make you look and sound a certain way to the rest of the world. Some of these support you while others hold you back. The EQ-i is a silver bullet because it tells you accurately how you show up in the world. If you were lost in an unfamiliar place, a map would not immediately teleport you to your destination, but it would give you context and allow you to plan your journey forward. It is the same with EQ.

The EQ-i is not the only assessment or psychological tool, but like a silver bullet,  it always works, and it is always helpful.