Occupational Therapy Emotional Intelligence, Personal

Occupational Therapy

Emotional Intelligence, Personal Power and Self-Directed Learning

Primary Concepts of Emotional Intelligence and Personal Power:

The current field of discussion on emotional intelligence is an evolving one. Quite to this point, Akerjordet & Severinsson (2007) place its initiation at around 1990, when a host of personality traits, behavioral patterns and emotional response mechanisms previously considered unrelated were examined in relation to one another. This revelation would promote a discussion on the catch-all that we now call emotional intelligence. However, our empirical understanding of this concept still remains uncertain, subject to debate and vulnerable to criticism. Particularly, it is not entirely certain how this relates to the concept of personal power.

From my position as an occupational therapist in a nursing home, there is a distinct interest in helping to redress the scarcity of available research on the subject by demonstrating the manner in which the emotional intelligence/personal power dynamic can be said to apply to my field of work. Particularly, the nursing home is a working context were employees and patients alike are vulnerable to great psychological strain and where, further, it can be said that such a psychological strain can have identifiably deleterious effects on the quality of treatment and morale alike. This denotes the serious responsibility incumbent upon the occupational therapist in such a context to act upon the connection between emotional intelligence and personal power in order to influence positive performance outcomes. Therefore, the discussion here proceeds to assess personal power as a function of emotional intelligence with the intention of validating the centrality of high emotional intelligence for competent work in the nursing home context.

However, this proposition is challenged by the relative newness of the subject matter. As Akerjordet & Severinsson explain, consensus on the value of emotional intelligence as a valid social or psychological construct has not been forthcoming. The article reports that "there is no agreement as to whether emotional intelligence is an individual ability, non-cognitive skill, capability or competence. One important finding is that, regardless of the theoretical framework used, researchers agree that emotional intelligence embraces emotional awareness in relation to self and others, professional efficiency and emotional management." (Akerjordet & Severinsson, p. 1405)

It strikes the healthcare worker as particularly important that a single construct can be used to correlate these various facets of human social competency. Certainly, as these are considered in light of the compassion, ethical turpitude and selflessness which must enter into the profession of healthcare provision, there is a critical value to further elaborating on the way these traits tie into professional qualification. Only those possessing certain emotional traits will be able to handle the emotional rigors of being exposed regularly to the physical, psychological, intellectual and functional deterioration of human beings. Within the scope of the long-term care setting, these emotional traits comprise the 'personal power' to positively effect the experience of others. To this end, Akerjordet & Severinsson report that "there have been some interesting theoretical frameworks that relate emotional intelligence to stress and mental health within different contexts. Emotional learning and maturation processes, i.e. personal growth and development in the area of emotional intelligence, are central to professional competence." (p. 1405)

Beyond just professional competence, the notion of personal power connects the leadership implications of high levels of emotional intelligence. Here, the basic concept of emotional intelligence is connected to research on the subject of transformational leadership in a study by Barbuto & Burbach (2006). Here, the researchers conducted a survey of 388 respondents, comprised of 80 public officials and 3 to six staffers for each official. The intention of the survey was to draw a connection between rating of leadership qualities when facing transformation and leadership Emotional Intelligence. According to Barbuto & Burbach, "the present results showed that the emotional intelligence of the leaders shared significant variance with self-perceptions and rater-perceptions of transformational leadership" (p. 51)

This suggests that both in the perception of the leader and in that of his or her followers, there was a connection between the positive capacity for transformational leadership and identification with a high emotional intelligence. Here, personal power as manifested in leadership may be implicated by the shared perception of the leader and his or her followers. The study by Barbuto & Burbach would also go on to conclude that emotional intelligence could be used as a predictive indicator for leadership outcomes.

This is a compelling concept as it relates to occupational therapy in the nursing home context. Here, we can see a connection between the emotional acuity of leadership and its capacity so sustain the morale, culture and environmental needs of residents and personnel. The long-term care setting offers an example of how the endless spectrum of ailments can be dealt with under this theoretical framework, suggesting that it is this emotional consistency which helps the healthcare professional to contend with the different ailments facing different patients. Comporting to the importance of genuine bedside attentiveness, it can be denoted that the nursing home patient can experience a significantly higher quality of life when engaged socially, emotionally and personally by the healthcare worker. This illuminates the centricity of a well-developed emotional intelligence on the part of the occupational therapist in helping to lengthen the lives of patients. This provides a strictly rational basis for more attentive bedside manner that is underscored by findings suggesting that such a feature in healthcare can help to constitute a crucial part of the patient's emotional support system. Indeed, there is an empirically demonstrated relevance to the presence of a strong support system in building upon and maintaining hope. In terms of the relationships which the patient is able engage with those around him -- whether these are with healthcare providers, family, friends or some variant upon this combination -- there is an unquestionable benefit that bespeaks a determined interest in connecting with the world around the patient. A symptom of hope, this desire to resist isolation even in the face of likely insurmountable medical conditions is likely to have a positive impact where possible on the physiological experience of the patient and, most certainly, even where a cure is not a reasonable expectation, this connection to the world around the patient demonstrates an interest in comfort even upon the approach of death. As we explore in the subsequent section, the mounting evidence that certain competencies within the scope of emotional intelligence may relate to job performance applies directly to this distinctly emotionally taxing context. The ability to manifest the personal power to meet the daily emotional challenges of this work is likely to distinguish the lifelong healthcare provider from one likely to suffer job-related burnout.

Emotional Intelligence:

Some research points directly to this idea of emotional intelligence as having a determinant impact on job competence when properly deconstructed. Research such as that by Abraham (2004) points to a 'weak' connection between measures of emotional intelligence and measures of job performance. The article explains that this may be because only certain dimensions of emotional intelligence will actually intercede with the characteristics seen as relevant to positive job performance. Abraham calls these dimensions emotional competencies and explains that "emotional competencies (including self-control, resilience, social skills, conscientiousness, reliability, integrity, and motivation) interact with organizational climate and job demands or job autonomy to influence performance, as represented in the form of 5 empirically testable propositions." (p. 117)

Here, Abraham argues that certain emotional qualities are preferable to others, regardless of the overall emotional intelligence possessed by individuals. Certainly, this applies to work within the context of a nursing home, where certain personality traits are required within the set of emotional skills possessed by the individual, both in terms of working with patients and in terms of working with others in the facility. As an occupational therapist, my role requires frequent interaction with healthcare professionals at all levels of care, including doctors, nurses, social workers, physical therapists and speech therapists. In many ways, the emotional intuition that one brings to this place of occupation is necessary not just for interacting positively with patients but also for supporting the diverse and extensive emotional needs of this spectrum of health workers. This experience is consistent with Abraham's claim that "social skills, conscientiousness, reliability, and integrity assist to promote trust, which in turn may build cohesiveness among the members of work groups. Motivation may fuel job involvement in environments that promise psychological safety and psychological meaningfulness. A combination of superior social skills and conscientiousness may enhance the self-sacrifice of benevolent employees to heightened levels of dependability and consideration." (p. 117)

This idea that specific competencies may be used to make certain assumptions about likely performance success is underscored by additional research such as that conducted by Cherniss (1999). This study compiles data from a wide array of sources on human resource management as this relates to the measurement of emotional intelligence. The findings gathered overwhelmingly support the case that emotional intelligence is one of the key predictors of performance success, job competency and long-term leadership trajectory. Cherniss would report, for example, that "an analysis of more than 300 top-level executives from fifteen global companies showed that six emotional competencies distinguished stars from the average: Influence, Team Leadership, Organizational Awareness, self-confidence, Achievement Drive, and Leadership." (p. 1)

As we can see here, researchers are likely to differ considerably in the way that they assess or prioritize competencies. But there does tend to be a certain consensus on the idea that certain overlapping emotional qualities may be used to project one's occupational capacity and propensities. The source by Cherniss goes on to identify certain behavioral features that are most typically found in those with high levels of emotional intelligence, pointing to several that correlate perfectly to the healthcare profession. Among them, Cherniss identifies the ability of the individual to manage stress as a primary indicator of emotional intelligence. Given the sometimes extremely pressurized atmosphere of the nursing home -- where the needs and demands of highly compromised patients can often be impossible to juggle -- the capacity of the healthcare worker to manage stress is tantamount to his or her long-term survival within the profession.

Cherniss also points to optimism as "another emotional competence that leads to increased productivity. New salesmen at Met Life who scored high on a test of 'learned optimism' sold 37% more life insurance in their first two years than pessimists." (p. 1) This denotes that a higher level of emotional intelligence may also be indicated by the ability to find ways to channel and apply optimism on the job. In the context of the nursing home, where patients may gain a significant psychological boost from a posture, tone and demeanor which reflect optimism, high levels of emotional intelligence amongst healthcare workers may be a determinant of the quality of life for long-term care patients such as those at my facility. The text by "6 Seconds" goes on to endorse this claim by reporting that optimism is a skill which can be taught, implying that this is a capacity which is gained in those already possessing certain distinct emotional competencies as identified above.

In spite of the clear importance of emotional intelligence in the context of the healthcare profession, the subject remains highly susceptible to disagreement. This makes training and education in the importance of emotional intelligence difficult to standardize and proliferate. Likewise, it makes it more difficult for healthcare recruiters to identify the specific emotional traits which are of the greatest value in potential hires. So denotes the text by Cartwright (2008), which indicates, "the concept of emotional intelligence (EI) has attracted a huge amount of interest from both academics and practitioners and has become linked to a whole range of outcomes, including career success, life satisfaction and health. Yet the concept itself and the way in which it is measured continue to fuel considerable debate." (p. 149)

This debate points to the need for greater consensus on how best to measure emotional intelligence as it relates directly to professional outcomes in the healthcare setting. As an occupational therapist, my greatest interest is in seeing that these features are sought in new recruits and that they are stimulated or refined in existing personnel.

Self-Directed Learning Plan:

According to the text by Goleman et al. (2004), the individual scoring high in the area of emotional intelligence will possess the capacity to engage in 'intentional change,' which is critical to adjusting to the pressures of the healthcare profession. Here below, I engage directly in the type of self-disclosure and critical internal assessment that are highlighted in Boyatzis' theory of Self-Directed Learning. As channeled through Boyatzis' so-called Five Discoveries, I promote a self-directed learning plan by engaging in the hypothetical exercise of these Discoveries.

Step 1: Who do you want to be? (1st Discovery)

In the first discovery, I must reconcile my initial assumptions about myself with realities in my personal disposition. One of the first 'discoveries' which I would make about myself when entering into this field would concern the omnipresence of death in the nursing home context. Given that our patients are elderly or deeply infirm, facing death is one of the realities of the job. I assumed that I was prepared to address this upon my first arrival at the facility. However, I would soon learn that I became nervous and uncomfortable when forced to discuss the impending death of a patient with the patient and his or her family. This would be an important discovery, and one that would require me to significantly change my emotional responsiveness. My nervousness and discomfort could be felt and seen by patients and I have since learned to channel these feelings instead into honesty and compassion. I try to make the dignity of the patient and his or her family the utmost of my emotional considerations.

Step 2: Who are you now? (2nd Discovery)

The second discovery essentially asks me to take a look in the mirror as a professional. In doing so, I must address current gaps between who I am today and who I might ideally be. Here, I see a competent professional who yet has limited experience within the field. Each day sees new challenges, many of which may catch me off guard. Indeed, in my early development, I have occasionally been alarmed by the ravages of psychological aging. As I look at my professional reflection, I aspire to have compiled the experience to be emotionally prepared for any such challenges to my occupational sensibility.

Step 3: How do you get from here to there? (3rd Discovery)

The third step in my self-directed learning plan denotes that I cannot simply hope to stumble upon the change which I seek. To the contrary, I must devise a particular path to achieving this. It is thus that my third discovery is denoted by a newfound emphasis on continuing professional development. Here, I view the accumulation of experience as a function of occupational longevity. This, in turn, may be accomplished through an ongoing participation in courses of education, in training, and in special dispatches to different types of healthcare contexts where I can hone the emotional skills required for a life in this profession.