Hiring a Strong Executive:
Using The EQ Profile as a Screening Device
A Fortune 500 Company was looking for an executive to lead a new department that would interface between the Information Systems Division and six highly autonomous companies. The company was about to migrate data management into the company’s headquarters. This would reduce costs and increase efficiencies. However, these companies were reluctant to lose control of their data.
The company needed to find someone skilled at building relationships and creating collaboration between the Information Systems Division and companies that were highly resistant to centralizing data management. While Marie (name changed) had interviewed very well and had the required expertise, they wanted to see if her EQ Profile would confirm if she was as good a fit as they hoped. One look at her Profile and I urged the company to make an offer that very day before some other company got to her first.
There are several outstanding features in her Profile. Note the General Performance score of 8.7. Given her orientation to work and her relational tendencies, her 8.7 is one of the highest scores (on a scale of 1 to 10) I’ve seen in the years I’ve used this instrument. She also scored a 9.2 on the Company Executive norm, another outstanding score.
Her Energy score is notable. She has a very big “motor,” indicating that she could work hard, long hours, accomplish a great deal, and withstand the stresses of the job. The arrows behind her Self-Esteem score indicates that she is driven by achievement…she feels best about herself when accomplishing her goals. She had a very positive combination of Energy, Optimism, and Sociable score. She naturally works well with people and the arrows on the Sociable score indicates that, when the occasion demands it, she can turn on the charm and be highly outgoing and friendly. People are attracted to those blessed with high energy, optimism, and a friendly outgoing nature. She would be a natural in building relationships and trust with internal customers.
She is a very hard worker and very detail oriented, a combination that would serve her well in coming to understand the various systems platforms and mix of software the independently operating companies were using. Her Change score indicates that she brings a highly creative flair to her thinking and would be adept at coming up with solutions that would meet the needs of her internal customers and the information systems group at headquarters.
Although very charming and upbeat, she would be strong enough to deal with the resistant group of executives in the independently operating companies. She has a strong Courage score, indicating that she willing to take risks, is highly self confident, and works even harder under pressure. She is also very good at making important decisions independently, as indicated by her Direction score.
She would also stand up for her opinions. She is highly assertive, able to convince and persuade, and cope with conflict. This is paired with a Tolerance score that is just perfect for the position. If this score were too low, she would tend to react emotionally when things weren’t going her way. Too high and she would have been too accommodating to the customer and not represent central management’s intentions.
The Considerate score deserves comment. Profiles of good leaders often have Considerate scores in this range. These scores do not mean these people are inconsiderate of others. Rather, it indicates that they can make decisions without being unduly swayed by the feelings of other people, something leaders are often called upon to do.
The offer was made that day and she has turned out to be a perfect fit for her role.
EQ Profile used with permission of Simmons Management Systems