Pop Quiz:
In a recent survey among recruiters, what do you think emerged as one of the top sought-after qualities?
- Politeness
- Adaptability
- Wit
- Optimism
- Seriousness
The answer is … adaptability. Or emotional flexibility.
Think about it, the present work environment is characterized by change, volatility and outcomes that defy conventional wisdom. The old rules hold less true today than even a few years ago. Change, and the increasing pace of change, is raising stress levels to an all time high.
From a response point of view, three skills combine to create an effective strategy for dealing with change:
- Minimize emotional reactivity
- Minimize being judgmental
- Creating options for moving forwards productively
From an EQ perspective, these skills correspond to Impulse Control, Flexibility, Optimism and Problem Solving on the EQ-i 2.0 model.
This month we want to expand on the Flexibility competency:
Flexibility is defined as adapting emotions, thoughts and behaviors to unfamiliar, unpredictable, and dynamic circumstances or ideas.