The Importance of Women in a Team
10 April 2015
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Title: The Importance of Women in a Team. Are you responsible for building a team? You should make sure there is enough emotional quotient within it. Indeed, it seems that the most intelligent groups are also the most socially sensitive.
What explains why one team works better than another? The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is interested in the elements that distinguish productive and intelligent groups from others. What are the essential criteria for smooth collaboration and good results?
Emotional Quotient (EQ)
MIT scientists come to the following conclusion: it is above all the number of women that makes the difference. A team wanting to function correctly must include a sufficient number of women. They contribute to the emotional intelligence of the group, which is beneficial for collective intelligence as a whole.
"Collective intelligence has little to do with average individual intelligence or with the IQ of the most intelligent member of the group," specify the investigators. "However, it shows a clear correlation between the average social sensitivity of group members, an equitable distribution of speaking rights, and the proportion of women within the collective."
Nonverbal Communication
In other words, an 'intelligent' group needs women. They generally obtain better results in terms of emotional intelligence than their male colleagues. They are more gifted, better understand nonverbal communication, and can manage it better.
"The ability to read body language is a form of know-how typical of women," the scientists add following their investigation. To prove this thesis, the investigators subjected the participating groups to an RME test (Reading Mind in the Eyes). During this test, individuals had to be able to say, using photos, what emotions they read in the eyes of the person represented. Then, they received other missions to test their knowledge and understanding, such as Sudoku or brainstorming sessions. On all tests, higher scores were obtained in groups with more women.
Individual Intelligence
The investigators admit that not everything depends on collective intelligence. According to them, there are problems that can be better solved by a single member, either a man or a woman. For example, a man will generally answer a math question better.
EQ plays a role in the interest of the overall functioning of the group and in tasks requiring good collaboration. These important elements reinforce the hope of seeing gender inequality disappear, highlight new career opportunities for women, and close the pay gap. Indeed, more and more new jobs are being created that require strong social and emotional skills.
But women should not only be satisfied with their high emotional quotient. They often obtain higher degrees than their male counterparts. There are more women than men with a higher education or university degree and who opt for a doctorate. This represents, in terms of both EQ and IQ, precious advantages for companies.
(EH) (SC) Sources: Express.be / Theatlantic.com
Jobat.be
Posted online on April 10, 2015.
What explains why one team works better than another? The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is interested in the elements that distinguish productive and intelligent groups from others. What are the essential criteria for smooth collaboration and good results?
Emotional Quotient (EQ)
MIT scientists come to the following conclusion: it is above all the number of women that makes the difference. A team wanting to function correctly must include a sufficient number of women. They contribute to the emotional intelligence of the group, which is beneficial for collective intelligence as a whole.
"Collective intelligence has little to do with average individual intelligence or with the IQ of the most intelligent member of the group," specify the investigators. "However, it shows a clear correlation between the average social sensitivity of group members, an equitable distribution of speaking rights, and the proportion of women within the collective."
Nonverbal Communication
In other words, an 'intelligent' group needs women. They generally obtain better results in terms of emotional intelligence than their male colleagues. They are more gifted, better understand nonverbal communication, and can manage it better.
"The ability to read body language is a form of know-how typical of women," the scientists add following their investigation. To prove this thesis, the investigators subjected the participating groups to an RME test (Reading Mind in the Eyes). During this test, individuals had to be able to say, using photos, what emotions they read in the eyes of the person represented. Then, they received other missions to test their knowledge and understanding, such as Sudoku or brainstorming sessions. On all tests, higher scores were obtained in groups with more women.
Individual Intelligence
The investigators admit that not everything depends on collective intelligence. According to them, there are problems that can be better solved by a single member, either a man or a woman. For example, a man will generally answer a math question better.
EQ plays a role in the interest of the overall functioning of the group and in tasks requiring good collaboration. These important elements reinforce the hope of seeing gender inequality disappear, highlight new career opportunities for women, and close the pay gap. Indeed, more and more new jobs are being created that require strong social and emotional skills.
But women should not only be satisfied with their high emotional quotient. They often obtain higher degrees than their male counterparts. There are more women than men with a higher education or university degree and who opt for a doctorate. This represents, in terms of both EQ and IQ, precious advantages for companies.
(EH) (SC) Sources: Express.be / Theatlantic.com
Jobat.be
Posted online on April 10, 2015.
