As the workforce changes, executive coaches have a significant opportunity to use emotional intelligence as a foundation for coaching to help bridge the skills gap. EI has not just gained popularity as a psychological buzzword; rather a growing body of research shows that EI can be assessed, and more importantly, improved. While IQ is relatively stable, EI can be enhanced through training. Furthermore, EI transcends age, gender and nationality thereby making it a useful foundation for all coaching programs.
The link between successful coaching and emotional intelligence is strong. The workplace is shifting from a reliance on IQ as a hiring guide to a heavier emphasis on EI skills. Because individuals with high EI are more effective communicators, they can create inclusive, synergistic environments where employees feel heard and understood, and are motivated to increase output, better meet goals, and contribute in a meaningful way.
Emotional skills can be improved significantly with coach-skills training. By learning coaching skills, we improve the ability to communicate through deep listening and building trust. Critical thinking skills are enhanced by improving the ability to ask questions with intent. Learning to coach others can facilitate creative thinking and collaboration to expedite goal setting and to develop accountability. Organizations that encourage their employees to learn coaching skills can begin to close the essential skills gap within their workplaces and to mentor and prepare individuals for future leadership roles. Finally, as coaches we understand the need to “coach to culture.” Cultural adaptation of coaching and EI is a topic of great interest that has been studied by Multi-Health Systems Inc. (MHS). MHS has demonstrated that the medicine wheel, embedded in Indigenous cultures, is similar to the theoretical model of emotional intelligence.
There is a growing need in the workplace to build capacity based on emotional intelligence. We suggest that coaches bring emotional intelligence into their coaching repertoires. For individuals and teams, using EI as the basis for coaching can identify the set of dynamic skills they have and those they need to work on. These include how individuals perceive and express themselves, how they relate to others, and how they make decisions and manage stress. Pairing EI training with coaching skills enable your clients to put these emotional skills into action. Using EI as a means to coach to culture can be highly productive and can focus efforts to address critical and pervasive problems that transcend gender, age and ethnicity.
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Hayley Hesseln, Ph.D., CEC, and Janice Gair, CEC, CPHR, ACC, are co-founders of EI ADVANTAGE, specializing in coach skills training and online emotional intelligence (EI) certification for business and academia.
Hayley Hesseln, CEC, Ph.D., has dedicated her 20-year career as a university professor to teaching and learning. She is an economist and professor at the University of Saskatchewan, Canada. Hayley is an alumna of the Royal Roads University Executive Coaching program in Victoria, BC, Canada and Member of the International Coach Federation.
Janice Gair, CEC, CPHR, ACC, brings over two decades of experience on governance, corporate strategy, and organizational development. Her passion for capacity building in individuals and organizations led her to become an accredited executive coach. Janice is an alumna of the Royal Roads University Executive Coaching program in Victoria, BC, Canada and has also achieved the Associate Certified Coach (ACC) designation.
