Exploring the Relationship Between Diversity Intelligence, Emotional Intelligence, and Executive Coaching to Enhance Leader Development Practices

The Problem. Leadership development is one of the most pressing issues for human resource practitioners within organizations. Recently, coaching to enhance emotional intelligence (EQ) has become a major focal area for human resource and leadership development. The concept of EQ has received overwhelming research and practical support, suggesting that it, more so than technical skills or cognitive ability, is the key determinant of success in leaders. However, EQ alone may not help leaders in creating an inclusive work environment and proactively recruiting and developing diverse employees. The Solution. Diversity intelligence (DQ), recently introduced by Hughes, is another important skill that has significant impact on the interpersonal relationships at work. The current article seeks to integrate the concepts of EQ and DQ with a practical and strategic approach for human resource development professionals. A theoretical review, qualitative examination, and practical application of the main models of EQ with a focus on how specific components of these models can be utilized in coaching for increased DQ is presented. Using concepts of executive coaching and general principles of leadership development, the current study examines which facets, or dimensions, of EQ should be highlighted and developed to increase DQ. The Stakeholders. In addition to identifying which facets of each EQ model are essential for DQ, practical applications for human resource development practitioners and leaders are presented.