Google’s new report on what makes the perfect manager will get everyone who has had a great boss – or a terrible one – nodding or shaking her head.
Unsurprisingly, the 10-year study shows that managers with top emotional-intelligence skills make for a better boss than those with superior technical skill.
I say ‘unsurprisingly’ because today’s educational curriculum is all about focusing on EQ soft skills – as a way to ensure the next generation for education and career success.
Being able to listen, control emotions, have the ability to understand, problem-solve, work as a team, collaborate and make decisions are skills students must learn in school – although there are rarely courses that specifically teach these abilities.
Google is training its leaders to develop these behaviors. And, according to the report, success is supported through loyalty to the workplace.
Wouldn’t it be better if pupils learned these skills at an earlier age?
As Oshi, my educational clown alter ego, that’s exactly what I do in schools.
Through my “idiot” clown character, pupils are forced to make decisions for me and for themselves, they learn to solve my problems and theirs, they see how to control their emotions and view them from another angle. Together with the teachers, educational clowns help students “fit in” and take part in teamwork, collaborate and make decisions.
Google’s research is important because it proves that EQ is as needed as IQ for success.