Data Confirms U.S. Voters Find Emotional Intelligence Deficit at Top of November's Election Ballot

TORONTO, Sept. 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- As the United States looks to conclude one of the most controversial general elections in history, new data from Multi-Health Systems Inc. (MHS), an international leading publisher of scientifically validated assessments, demonstrates that the two primary candidates simply do not measure up when it comes to critical leadership characteristics.

MHS set out to define which emotional intelligence characteristics voters looked for in presidential candidates, as well as where this year's candidates stand. The company polled 2,000 adults in the U.S., which were fairly evenly divided among Republican, Independent and Democratic voters. A group of 1,000 adults were asked to rate the emotional intelligence skills of their ideal presidential candidate. The second 1,000 adults were asked to rate their perception of the emotional intelligence skills of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. The ratings were done on a five-point scale.

Overall, voters identified the following as the top three key characteristics they look for in a presidential leader:

• Stress Tolerance (4.62): The ability to remain calm and focused and to constructively withstand adverse events and conflicting emotions without caving in.
• Problem Solving (4.59): The ability to find solutions to problems where emotions are involved, using the right emotion at the right time and level.
• Reality Testing (4.58): The ability to see things as they actually are, rather than the way they wish or fear they might be.

For Donald Trump, voters believe:

• His stress tolerance is 50 percent lower than the ideal candidate.
• His problem-solving skills are 44 percent lower than the ideal candidate.
• His ability to perceive reality is 45 percent lower than the ideal candidate.

For Hillary Clinton, voters believe:

• Her stress tolerance is 33 percent lower than the ideal candidate.
• Her problem solving skills are 39 percent lower than the ideal candidate.
• Her ability to perceive reality is 43 percent lower than their ideal candidate.

Additional insights include:

• Democrats believe that Social Responsibility and Impulse Control are the most important characteristic in a presidential candidate, while Republicans valued Assertiveness and Independence.
• Independents rated Clinton higher in 10 out of the 15 characteristics, including Stress Tolerance. Trump ranked higher in Problem Solving.
• Clinton's perceived Emotional Intelligence is nearly one point higher (on the five point scale) than Trump but over one point lower than the ideal presidential candidate.

"When it comes to this election, the data clearly demonstrates a discrepancy in the attributes voters look for in their leaders and the current frontrunners. While we are not able to define the candidate's actual emotional intelligence, we all know that in an election, perception is everything," said Dr. Steven J. Stein, CEO, MHS Inc. "So much talk in this election has been around what it means to be presidential. We believe that beyond gender, background or upbringing, being a leader is about demonstrating an emotional connection and being perceived as having a temperament that can handle any situation."

Emotional Intelligence is defined as a set of emotional and social skills that influence the way people perceive and express themselves, develop and maintain social relationships, cope with challenges and use emotional information in an effective and meaningful way. 

"Whether the president of a company or the president of the free world, it is important to not only understand how you are perceived by the people you lead, but also how you can better connect with them," Dr. Stein continued. "Understanding and applying emotional intelligence to leadership and personal development can impact everything from culture to even the financial performance of a company."

The most popular and widely researched Emotional Intelligence model, the Emotional Quotient Inventory 2.0 (EQ-I 2.0®), tracks 15 factors including: Emotional Self-Awareness, Self-Regard, Self-Actualization, Emotional Expression, Assertiveness, Independence, Empathy, Social Responsibility, Interpersonal Relationships, Reality Testing (perception of reality), Problem Solving, Impulse Control, Flexibility, Stress Tolerance and Optimism.

About Multi-Health Systems Inc.
A leading publisher of scientifically validated assessments for more than 30 years, Multi-Health Systems Inc. (MHS) serves clients in corporate, clinical, educational, public safety, government, military, pharmaceutical, and research settings. With offices in North America and partners around the world, MHS is dedicated to strong product growth, and an optimal user experience. MHS has developed leading products such as the Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i 2.0®), the Conners™ suite of ADHD assessments, and the Level of Service™ suite of assessments.

MHS has been named one of Canada's Best Managed Companies since 2013. The best managed designation is a recognized symbol of excellence for Canadian businesses. Every year hundreds of companies compete for this designation in a rigorous and independent process that evaluates their management skills and practices. For more information about MHS, please visit www.mhs.com.

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SOURCE Multi-Health Systems Inc.

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