Don’t Just Be Smart – Be Emotionally Intelligent – Info Fund Raising

This is the final in a series of blogs on 2018 trends. You can read about the first four trends here.

The last trend for 2018 that Forbes highlights is: Don’t just be smart. Be emotionally intelligent.

As someone who has managed a number of analysts, I totally understand this one.

Throughout my career I have worked with some super smart analysts. Brilliant analysts. Analysts who could write code in circles around me 24/7. However, what I found is that “smart” is only minor variable in the algorithm of success. If an analyst didn’t possess a high co-efficient of emotional intelligence, they were usually a disappointment.

I’m sure you’ve seen the same thing at the places where you have worked. Sometimes the “best” candidate fails because they can’t connect with others or don’t fit the organization’s culture. I like the way Peter Drucker talked about this, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.”

Ultimately, we are all in the people business. And it’s best for you to fill your organization with people that have emotional intelligence. Because reading between the lines is a critical component of your organization’s success.