This morning, I woke up early, too early. Sleep wasn’t happening, so my mind started wandering. It landed on Emotional Quotient (EQ), that measure of how well someone understands and manages their emotions. As a small business owner, I couldn’t help but wonder: what role does EQ play in my success or my failure? Curiosity got the better of me, so I dug into some research. What I found surprised me: EQ often outshines intelligence quotient (IQ) and technical skills as a predictor of success. In the world of small business, where relationships with staff, customers, and suppliers can make or break you, and adaptability is non negotiable, EQ seems to take center stage.
That got me thinking, why not treat my EQ like I do my business? I’m always analyzing metrics, performance, sales, and product lines with tools like a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats). But how often do I turn that lens on my emotional intelligence? Honestly, not enough. It’s funny how we obsess over the numbers but rarely evaluate something as critical as EQ when it comes to running a successful operation. Maybe it’s time we start.
This past week, I was chatting with James about how my years in the corporate world sharpened my ability to navigate negotiations and tough conversations. Back then, I was applying those skills to someone else’s company. Now, they’re mine to wield for my own venture. It hit me, corporations pour serious resources into EQ training for a reason. Low EQ doesn’t just hurt feelings; it hits the bottom line. Hard. Resolving conflicts, motivating a team, keeping customers happy, all of that hinges on emotional smarts.
So, I made a decision. When James wakes up today, we’re going to sit down and do our own EQ SWOT analysis. Strengths: What are we good at emotionally? Weaknesses: Where do we trip up? Opportunities: How can we grow this skill? Threats: What’s holding us back or putting us at risk? I think it’ll be revealing and maybe a little humbling.
Here’s an example of what an EQ SWOT might look like. (This isn’t mine, I just grabbed it as an illustration so you’d get the idea.)
I’m excited to see where this takes us. If EQ really is the secret sauce behind small business success, then it’s worth the deep dive.
