EI Leaders – Interpersonal Skills are the Key to Leadership Success A widely circulated report in the Harvard Business Review reveals that two out of every five new CEOs fail within their first 18 months on the job. The study of 5,247 hiring managers, conducted by Leadership IQ, further discloses that there is an equally alarming failure rate among newly hired employees from the executive ranks through those of middle management. According to the report, of the survey respondents that collectively hired more than 20,000 employees during the three-year research period, 46% of newly hired employees will fail within 18 months, while only 19% will achieve certain success. The study further found that 26% of new hires fail because they can’t accept feedback, 23% cannot understand and manage emotions, 17% lack the drive to succeed, 15% have the wrong temperament for the job, and 11% lack key skills
Overall, the primary reason for failure was attributed to poor interpersonal skills, which 82% of hiring managers admit to having overlooked in the hiring process.
- Higher EI = More Effective Leaders
- Effective Leaders Get More “Buy-In” into What Needs to be Done
- What do highly successful leaders all have in common?
They demonstrate exceptionally effective interpersonal skills. Above and beyond their technical expertise, they are adept at positively influencing other people. In the workplace this means understanding the underlying motivations of others, their thoughts and feelings, communicating effectively about these, which includes giving and receiving effective feedback, and enrolling people in doing what needs to be done with minimal stress, conflict, and resistance.