The hardest interview question this 39-year-old executive likes to ask—it can reveal high emotional intelligence

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in 2021.

: emotional intelligence.

The capacity to manage your own emotions and the emotions of those around you is the strongest indicator of achievement in a work setting.

However, it can be challenging to measure. Unlike technical skills or experience, emotional intelligence is made up of intangible qualities like empathy and self-awareness, which don't always fit neatly on a resume.

Often leaves candidates bewildered:

What was the biggest obstacle you faced in your previous job?

The goal, Brothers says, is to look into how flexible and teachable your personality is. "We all have an ego, but does your ego stop you from working well with others?" she says. "I'm trying to understand if you know when you're at your best or where you might be holding yourself back in professional situations."

Candidates should be honest and accountable without putting their worst foot in front, Brothers advises. Still, she says the best answers hit a balance between being truthful and taking responsibility.

For instance, Brothers says, "Perhaps someone would share, 'I noticed I wasn't delivering my best in a Monday morning strategy meeting, so after reflecting on my performance and incorporating feedback, I decided to switch gears and send a weekly email update instead, which proved more effective for everyone.' That's a comprehensive understanding of oneself and the effects of one's actions on those around you.

This level of self-awareness, according to Brothers, can be effectively applied to tackling workplace challenges and working with people who have different personalities.

How to build self-awareness

You don't have to wait for your next interview to develop your self-awareness.

last year:

1. Think about your hobbies and talents, and use that information to clearly define what you're good at and what tasks you'd like to be doing in a job. What are your strengths? What activities do you enjoy most?
2. Request feedback from your supervisors and coworkers. The way they describe you and your job can help you learn a little more about how other people view you.
3. Think of these takeaways as a checklist to determine the abilities you'd like to develop or strengthen in your job.

Developing self-awareness requires time, but the benefits can be significant. "You can possess all the technical expertise and charisma imaginable," Han said, "but without being aware of who you are, how you present yourself to the world, and how you interact with others, it becomes much more challenging to build lasting relationships … and nurture the friendships that are essential for achieving true success."

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