EQ Measurement and Feedback: Using Assessment Results to Target Development

Definition

Emotional intelligence can be measured and quantified via a validated assessment tool. The book includes access to the Emotional Intelligence Appraisal, a 28-question online survey completed in seven minutes that produces scores for overall EQ and each of the four skills on a scale of 1–100. The feedback report shows your score profile, compares your scores to others', and recommends which skill to develop first based on your gaps. This measurement removes guesswork from EQ development: instead of attempting to improve all four skills, you can see exactly which skill is lowest and focus there. Taking the assessment twice (before and after practice) quantifies improvement, creating accountability and demonstrating the plasticity of EQ.

In the Book

The authors emphasize that measuring your EQ before starting development strategies is essential: "The value of measuring your EQ now is akin to learning the waltz with an actual partner. If I tell you how the dance works, you are likely to learn something and may even get the urge to try it yourself. If, as I show you how to do a waltz, you practice each step with a partner, your chances of remembering them later on the dance floor go up exponentially." The feedback report from the assessment "includes a goal-tracking system that summarizes the skills you are working on and provides automatic reminders to help you stay focused." The authors note they tested over 500,000 people to develop the assessment: "Over the last decade we've tested more than 500,000 people to explore the role emotions play in daily living." The book recommends a specific action plan sequence: (1) take the assessment, (2) pick one EQ skill to work on (the feedback report recommends a starting skill), (3) select three strategies for that skill, (4) find an EQ mentor in that skill, (5) practice for 3–6 months, then (6) take the assessment again to measure progress. The second assessment shows "your scores side by side and offer insights into how you've changed and what your next steps should be."

Why It Matters

Assessment-driven development is more effective than generic training because it targets effort. It also provides evidence of progress, which is motivating and demonstrates that EQ change is real and measurable. For organizations, this means EQ development can be tracked like any other capability metric. The feedback loop—measure, practice, measure again—validates the plasticity claim; if EQ didn't change, scores would be stable, but they typically rise by 3–6 months, proving the strategy works.