Emotional intelligence concepts and applications

Emotional Intelligence

Jack Watson

Self-Awareness

Jones has a self-image that is born out of significant life accomplishment and tremendous ability. As a consequence, the impression he gives is one of extreme confidence to the point of arrogance. But Mr. Jones is not arrogant, he is simply confident in a way that corresponds to his achievements and his age. As a young man, Mr. Jones has not had the number of years behind him that would have tempered the impact of his meteoric rise on his image of himself. These factors make him less capable of relating to his direct reports even when he attempts to do so with genuine effort. It is clear that he has a difficult time with meaningful interaction with those who are under him in the organization because of the stiff and rigid way in which he attempts to interact. Interestingly, despite his amazing accomplishments in his life, Mr. Jones displays a degree of unease with himself in certain respects. Humor that is attempted to be self-deprecating always includes an element of self-promotion within it. This reveals a level of self-absorption that may be indicative of insecurity or narcissism or both.

Self-Regulation

Mr. Jones has an impressive ability to absorb the ambiguous direction provided to him from the CEO of the company and turn the direction into something very positive. He keeps to himself any criticism about the poorly formed ideas and strategies handed to him and preserves the credibility of those in authority above him in the organization. He also builds a framework of explanation and implementation around those strategies so that his staff is not forced to attempt to wade through the ambiguity.

Motivation

Mr. Jones is handsomely rewarded for his position in the organization but it is clear that the rewards he seeks most intently come from outside the company. A triathlete and marathoner, Jones has an intense drive to be successful in athletics in a way that is often apparent as he manages his department. His athletic endeavors have brought to his department an understanding of the sense of accomplishment that comes from winning and achieving that is far beyond money and status.

Empathy

Raised in a religiously homogenous, affluent, Caucasian neighborhood it could be assumed that Mr. Jones lacks the ability to empathize with those from such starkly different backgrounds. Perhaps because of his limited interactions with individuals from diverse backgrounds is part of his strength. In other words, Jones is aware that he knows very little about the different backgrounds that people can have so he places significant importance on listening and working to understand. This has made him extremely effective at building and maintaining relationships both personally and professionally.

Social Skills

The analytical and management skills Mr. Jones possesses are surpassed only by his ability to network and build alliances. Jones is the preeminent self-promoter without it being overtly obvious what he is doing. His careful attention to details and refined approaches to relationships have been a significant part of his ability to rise so quickly.

How can you apply the principles of emotional intelligence to your current situation?

I can use the emotional intelligence concepts to help me in three key ways. First, I can use the knowledge of the skills to better assess my own abilities and what impact I am having on my employees. This is crucial for helping me understand my relationships and to understand the kind of work environment I have created. Second, I can use what I know about the skills to improve conditions. Not just in terms of improving the way in which the staff members interact but to increase overall productivity. Third, I can examine these characteristics in other senior managers within the company to see how I can better interact with them. As I assess their strengths and weaknesses I will be able to see additional opportunities.