Emotional and social intelligence is the capacity for recognizing our own feelings and those of others, for motivating ourselves, and for managing emotions effectively. It describes the behaviors that sustain people in challenging roles or as their careers become more demanding, and it captures the qualities that help people deal effectively with change.

The Emotional and Social Competency Inventory

Based on decades of research across hundreds of roles and organizations, the Emotional and Social Competency Inventory (ESCI) model describes 12 competencies that differentiate outstanding from average performers. Although all of the ESCI competencies are important, leaders may not need to master all of them in order to be successful. They may draw on different competencies, depending on their strengths, preferences, and workplace culture.

The ESCI measures four distinct areas of ability:

• Self-Awareness: Recognizing and understand our own emotions

• Social Awareness: Recognizing and understanding the emotions of others

• Self-Management: Effectively managing our own emotions

• Relationship Management: Applying emotional understanding in our dealings with others