Can you read a room?

I hope so. In my opinion, it’s the most important skill you can have in the workplace.

The Emotional Intelligence Quotient, or EQ, includes qualities such as self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy and people skills, according to the best-seller, “Emotional Intelligence,” by Daniel Goleman.

Andy Nunemaker, CEO, Dynamis Software, agrees. “We have a test on our sales team: We take each final candidate out for drinks. If he or she is not someone we can easily relate to in a casual setting, we don’t hire them. Either you have it or you don’t.”

Well said, Andy. Well said.

— Kathleen Dohearty