Emotional Intelligence: The Secret Sauce
The Secret Sauce of Emotional Intelligence
You might say a good sauce is a matter of taste—and you’d be right. As someone with deep Italian roots, I take pride in crafting a great sauce. Sure, we can all debate whose sauce is best (Mom’s wins, of course), but at the end of the day, the essential ingredients are often the same.
Start with ripe tomatoes (Roma for me), fresh garlic, olive oil, onion, and maybe a bit of pork or beef for depth. Add your favorite herbs—basil, oregano, parsley—and the rest is up to you. Maybe a pinch of sugar or some crushed red pepper. The result? A smell that fills the room, stirs emotion, and often reminds us of love, warmth, and home.
A great sauce engages the senses. But in relationships and business, it’s not the nose that matters most—it’s our Emotional Intelligence (EI). Like sauce, EI has essential ingredients. It’s not just intuition or good instincts; it’s a defined, research-backed set of competencies that, when combined and demonstrated consistently, set top performers apart.
For over 45 years, the Hay Group has studied and validated these competencies. Their Emotional Competence Inventory (ECI), a 360-degree feedback tool, measures how well individuals exhibit the 18 behaviors that form the foundation of EI. These include:
Six Core Ingredients:
Emotional Self-Awareness
Accurate Self-Assessment
Self-Confidence
Emotional Self-Control
Empathy
Influence
Add to these a unique mix of other competencies, depending on your role or personality. For example:
A coach or educator may demonstrate strengths in Transparency, Optimism, Service Orientation, Developing Others, and Teamwork.
An executive leader might shine with Adaptability, Achievement Orientation, Initiative, Organizational Awareness, and Conflict Management.
There’s no one perfect recipe—only the right combination for your role and style. The beauty of EI is that it’s learnable. With increased self-awareness, constructive feedback, and guided development, anyone can enhance their emotional effectiveness.
Just like a great sauce, Emotional Intelligence takes time, attention, and the right ingredients. But when it comes together, it’s powerful.
Interested in using the ECI assessment to develop leadership or team effectiveness in your organization? Contact Luigi to learn how to bring this powerful tool into your workplace.
