Recent research suggests that it is more often than not those organisations that understand people, i.e. who are what has become known as 'emotionally intelligent', who vastly outperform those who do not. In today's world, emotions matter. In fact, they can matter twice as much as conventional intelligence and expertise put together in terms of accounting for business success. For companies struggling to find new ways to quickly meet new developments and challenges, a recent research study brings the promise of a major breakthrough in managing complex, global businesses. But there seems to be no consensus as to what they should consist of.
Bandwagons abound and consultants are in the vanguard of the gravy train once again.
As we approach the year 2000 this might be an appropriate time for those of us who are HRD professionals to congratulate ourselves. After all, in the last thirty years we have made considerable progress in the theory and practice of training. We have defined the field, put forward and tested models, developed effective processes for training people and proved ourselves, to the point where most employers appreciate the value of training and are willing to invest in it. This article very well explains the basics of emotional intelligence. But as the field starts to grow, some worry that it could become just another fad.