| Leadership deals with the world of emotions and | | | | set of abilities will become increasingly important." |
| feelings. It is more of an art than a science. Like | | | | There's not a lot we can do about the processing |
| artists, leaders have the ability to share their | | | | power between our ears. For the most part, |
| vision of the world. Leaders influence our | | | | we're stuck with whatever intelligence quotient |
| perceptions and help us look at situations in new | | | | (IQ) we've got. The good news for many of us is |
| ways. These skills - and the leadership principles | | | | that our IQ is dramatically less important to |
| that guide their development - are critical to the | | | | success and happiness than our emotional |
| success of an organization or team. | | | | intelligence (EQ). What's even better is that EQ, |
| Of course, there are some people who remain | | | | unlike IQ, can be improved. It's not easy (nothing |
| unconvinced of the value of these "soft skills." | | | | worth doing ever is), but it can be done. |
| They're typically managers with minimal leadership | | | | As University of Toronto psychology professors |
| qualities, who prefer to focus on being bottom-line | | | | Steven Stein and Howard Book (what better |
| driven, strategists, marketing aces, technical | | | | name for an author?) write in their book, The EQ |
| experts, "snoopervisors," and so on. | | | | Edge: Emotional Intelligence and Your Future, "We |
| These managers often talk about the importance | | | | know that emotional intelligence can be enhanced |
| of personal effectiveness and development. They | | | | because we've seen it happen over and over |
| pledge undying allegiance to values, mission, and | | | | again as we've worked with corporate CEOs and |
| vision. They go on about people issues, like | | | | other executives, school teachers, military |
| communication, teamwork, respect, and service. | | | | personnel, counselors and consultants, mental |
| But they really think it's just a lot of fluff. | | | | health professionals, and husbands and wives. |
| Well, maybe they should think again. Now there is | | | | Adopting proven methods found in cognitive and |
| hard evidence that those "soft" leadership | | | | behavioral therapy, as well as from |
| principles are the major factor in what makes a | | | | psychodynamic theory, we have trained many of |
| high-performance team or organization. The | | | | these individuals to increase their emotional |
| exciting and rapidly expanding research on | | | | intelligence in easily understandable and proven |
| emotional intelligence shows that a leader's | | | | ways." |
| personal characteristics and leadership | | | | Improving our emotional intelligence starts with a |
| competencies have a direct bearing on his or her | | | | clear picture of our ideal self. This is at the hub of |
| personal performance - as well as on that of their | | | | our Leadership Wheel: Where am I going (or what |
| team and organization. | | | | is the picture of my preferred future)? The next |
| For example, studies show that even a leader's | | | | step is a "gap analysis," or assessment of my |
| mood is highly contagious. Depending on whether | | | | current strengths and weaknesses, followed by a |
| he or she is upbeat and supportive, or cranky and | | | | plan for bridging those gaps (building on my |
| disapproving, the team will either be charged with | | | | strengths and strengthening my weaknesses). |
| high achievement or poisoned with deadly toxins. | | | | Then the real improvement work begins - |
| Improving Our Emotional Intelligence | | | | experimenting with new behaviors, reframing my |
| Cary Cherniss, at Rutger's University has found | | | | thinking, developing skills, and mastering feelings. |
| "there now is a considerable body of research | | | | This can often be reinforced by forming new |
| suggesting that a person's ability to perceive, | | | | relationships or by changing the dynamic of |
| identify, and manage emotion provides the basis | | | | existing ones. These steps are generally difficult to |
| for the kinds of social and emotional | | | | sustain on our own. That's why personal coaches, |
| competencies that are important for success in | | | | counselors, and consultants have become so |
| almost any job. Furthermore, as the pace of | | | | popular. They help us step back from the movie |
| change increases and the world of work makes | | | | of our life to review and reset our thinking and |
| ever greater demands on a person's cognitive, | | | | actions. |
| emotional, and physical resources, this particular | | | | |