In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, success hinges not only on technical expertise but also on interpersonal skills. Therefore, prioritizing emotional intelligence in senior-level employment candidates has emerged as a critical factor for strategic recruitment. As organizations strive to build cohesive teams that can navigate diverse challenges and foster innovation, the ability to understand and manage emotions at the executive level is pivotal.
How to take the guesswork out of prioritizing emotional intelligence in senior-level candidates
Two methods recruiters and human resource teams can use to assess and prioritize emotional intelligence in potential senior-level hires is through structured behavioral interviews and assessments. When it comes to behavior interviews, recruiters and hiring managers can ask targeted questions that probe into candidates’ past experiences and behaviors in various challenging situations. These questions help gauge the candidates’ ability to recognize and manage their own emotions, understand and empathize with others, navigate social interactions effectively, and demonstrate resilience in the face of adversity.
Additionally, organizations can utilize validated emotional intelligence assessments to objectively measure candidates’ emotional intelligence competencies and compare them against predetermined criteria for success in senior-level roles. By incorporating both qualitative and quantitative measures of emotional intelligence, organizations can identify candidates who possess the necessary emotional intelligence skills to excel in leadership positions and contribute positively to collaborative organizational success.
What to look for in behavioral questioning to assess the emotional intelligence in senior-level candidates
As recruiters and human resource teams increasingly recognize the importance of emotional intelligence in senior-level candidates, strategic recruitment practices are evolving. By probing into specific behavioral domains, recruiters can gain deeper insights into a candidate’s ability to navigate complex interpersonal dynamics and lead effectively.
The following five key areas of recommended inquiry include self-awareness, empathy, adaptability, conflict resolution and relationship management. Through thoughtful questioning and active listening, recruiters can uncover a candidate’s capacity and skill level. By prioritizing these behavioral questioning areas, organizations can identify candidates who possess the emotional intelligence necessary to thrive in senior leadership roles that drive organizational success and enhanced and interdepartmental collaboration.
What these five areas of inquiry expose:
Self-awareness
Self-awareness involves recognizing and acknowledging one’s own emotions, strengths, weaknesses, and biases. For example, a person with high emotional intelligence might openly reflect on how their emotions influence their decision-making process and seek feedback from others to gain deeper insights into their own behavior. Failure to self-reflect and refine an executive’s behavior frequently results in a toxic work environment where financial losses due to talent turnover far exceed an executive’s annual salary or compensation. It affects both productivity and cost savings which ultimately affect profit and business sustainability.
Empathy
Empathy questioning helps you identify whether the candidate demonstrates an understanding of others’ emotions, perspectives, needs, and how to respond with compassion and sensitivity. For instance, someone with high emotional intelligence might actively listen to others without judgment, validate their feelings, and offer support or assistance when needed.
Adaptability
Skills associated with adaptability illuminate whether a senior-level candidate is flexible and open-minded in navigating diverse situations and relationships. A person with superior emotional intelligence might demonstrate adaptability by adjusting their communication style based on the emotional cues of others, remaining calm and composed in high-pressure situations, and proactively seeking solutions to challenges.
Conflict resolution
Hiring questions that focus on how a candidate manages conflict and disagreements impacts talent retention, employee engagement and middle manager turnover. Being able to remain calm, objective and diplomatic during conflict is critical. For example, someone with high emotional intelligence might facilitate constructive dialogue, find common ground among conflicting parties, and seek win-win solutions that address everyone’s needs.
Relationship management
Building and maintaining positive relationships is critical for a multi-generational workforce. By focusing on behaviors that support the TIGERS 6 Principles of trust, interdependence, genuineness, empathy, risk resolution and success, senior executives build mutual respect in the workplace. This might involve actively seeking feedback from others, tactfully providing constructive criticism and cultivating a supportive and inclusive team environment. They are also able to demonstrate through their past positions an understanding of Gen Z and Millennial employee loyalty requirements. This enables candidates for senior leadership positions to navigate complex interpersonal dynamics, construct employee development career paths and lead effectively in various personal and professional situations.
Why relationship management is so powerful in prioritizing emotional intelligence in senior-level candidates
In collaborative organizations, where teamwork and synergy are paramount, the significance of behavioral interviewing for senior leadership hiring cannot be overstated. Unlike traditional top-down structures, collaborative environments thrive on mutual respect, open communication, and shared decision-making.
Behavioral interviewing allows recruiters to delve beyond surface-level qualifications, such as a resume, and explore a candidate’s past actions and behaviors in diverse situations. By examining how candidates have approached challenges, communicated with team members, and resolved conflict in previous roles, recruiters can gauge their suitability for navigating the complexities of collaborative leadership.
In collaborative organizations, senior leaders play a pivotal role in fostering a culture of trust, transparency, and mutual support among team members. Behavioral interviewing enables recruiters to assess a candidate’s interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence, and ability to build meaningful relationships across diverse teams. Through targeted questions that explore a candidate’s approach to collaboration, conflict resolution, and stakeholder management recruiters can identify people who possess the traits and competencies necessary to effectively lead in a collaborative environment.
Moreover, behavioral interviewing aligns with the ethos of collaborative organizations by placing a premium on evidence-based decision-making and results-oriented leadership. By probing into specific behavioral examples, recruiters can gain insights into a candidate’s track record of driving positive outcomes through collaboration, innovation, and adaptability. This approach not only helps identify candidates who are well-suited to the collaborative nature of the organization but also ensures that senior leaders possess the requisite skills to navigate dynamic and evolving business landscapes effectively. Ultimately, behavioral interviewing serves as a powerful tool for selecting senior leaders who can inspire and empower teams to achieve collective goals and drive organizational success.
Here is an example. After a healthcare merger, the resulting organization scored very low in patient satisfaction. The main reason was due to deficient empathy in emergency response situations.
A senior anesthesiologist position opened. Two individuals were invited to sit for an interview. When asked the question, “Can you give us three examples of how you demonstrated your empathetic skills during the last 30 days?” the first candidate with a pedigree medical school degree such as Harvard or Stanford was stumped. He could not come up with one example. The second candidate had a state medical school diploma and was able to rattle off more than three examples from her work, friendships and family dynamics. She was hired for behavior over where she graduated and received her medical license. This had not been a previous practice of either merged organizations.
Prioritizing emotional intelligence in senior-level candidates is essential for organizations aiming to build resilient and high-performing teams. As discussed throughout this article, emotional intelligence is a critical component of effective leadership, enabling senior executives to navigate complex challenges, inspire trust, and foster collaboration.
By incorporating strategies to assess emotional intelligence during the hiring process, organizations can identify candidates who possess the necessary qualities to lead with empathy, adaptability, and resilience. Investing in emotionally intelligent leaders not only enhances team dynamics and organizational culture but also strengthens overall performance that drives long-term success. As the business landscape continues to evolve, organizations that prioritize emotional intelligence in their senior-level hires will be better positioned to thrive in an increasingly competitive environment.
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Copyright TIGERS Success Series, Inc. by Dianne Crampton
About TIGERS Success Series
The TIGERS 6 Principles emerged from Business, Education and Psychology Group Dynamic Research. Independently evaluated twice for reliability and validity, the TIGERS 6 Principles offer a comprehensive system for collaborative workforce and leadership development. Visit TIGERS Learning Center here.
