If this is news to the PI, they have deeper problems than their financial issues

Apparently, the Seattle PI has just discovered the concpet of Emotional Intelligence.

I'm not a big fan of that name for the concept. The idea of redefining intelligence seems focused on telling peson they are as smart as anybody, just in a different way. But that's a rant for another time.

This article is on the main homepage for the Seattle PI. Not only is it on the home page, it's in the section with the major headlines for the day.

It's between "Walkout causes long delays at border" and "Coroner: Suspect says she drowned kids".

But here are some clips from the article. None of this seems new, though. Do companies really promote leadership solely because they did a good job as an indivdual performer without considering their other skills?

Empathy pays off at work
The faster business gets, the greater the need to read emotions in a snap

By ERICA NOONANTHE BOSTON GLOBE

In this job market, it's not just who you know, or even what skills you've mastered. It's how well you understand other people that will get you ahead.

This is the age of emotional intelligence, often called EQ, and today's hiring managers want proof you've got it.

...

EQ comprises a collection of so-called "soft" skills, including self-awareness, an understanding of how your mood and behavior affect others; impulse control, including how you manage stress on the job; initiative, whether you can be counted on to report to work on time, manage your own time and meet expectations; and the ability to motivate and lead others.
...
Job applicants, especially those for executive-level positions, should be prepared to be quizzed on their EQ. Typical subjects include behavioral-type questions about how they coped with a past workplace challenge, managed a personality conflict or helped a team project succeed.

Even someone fresh out of college should be ready to demonstrate these skills, perhaps by describing how they managed a fraternity fundraiser, met school newspaper deadlines or trained a group of summer lifeguards, Mobley said.
...
A 1997 study conducted by the Hay Research and Innovation Group, an EQ consulting and testing company, showed computer sales reps hired especially for their emotional skills were 90 percent more likely to complete training than those hired on other criteria.

Another Hay study from the same year showed insurance agents who scored weakly on empathy, self-confidence and initiative sold policy premiums worth 50 percent less than agents who scored better in those areas.

Let's stop right there for a moment. This news article is based on two studies from 9 years ago.

If the information is 9 years old, and was public at the time, it's not news.

And these are the hints for demonstrating your EQ:

• Pay attention to buzzwords
• Know yourself
• Demonstrate reliability and trustworthiness.
• Never fib about anything.
• Send a thank you note.

Do people even use the word "fib" anymore?

Maybe this belongs in an article for recent graduates, but I certianly don't consider it newsworthy enough to be fourth most important story of the morning in Seattle.