|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
QUOTE OF THE DAY Archives The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. - Max DePree (more) TIPS Archives Results of Effective EQ Training Programs (more) LEADERSHIP NEWS Archives Emotional Intelligence: What It Is And Why It Is Important (more) GUIDANCE FOR YOUNG PROFESSIONALS Archives Key Emotional Intelligence Components (more) GUIDANCE FOR MANAGERS Archives How Leaders Can Incorporate Emotional Intelligence In Their Organizations (more) GENERATIONS AT WORK Archives The Corporate Melting Pot and the Problems of the Generations (more) QUOTE OF THE DAY Archives The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. - Max DePree We've all experienced this: Wanting to be someone's friend rather than their constructive critic or taskmaster. Parents face this dilemma with their children all the time. Some keys to being a successful leader include doing what's best for the business, team, project or mission. Another key is keeping a focus on reality that will guide followers in the right direction. Of course, in both instances the foundation of your leadership must be ethical behavior. Successful leadership is not being a friend or a "buddy," but making hard choices and ensuring people's efforts achieve good results. Leaders must find a balance between delegating, motivating and appreciating. You cannot be friends with everyone, but you can afford to be civil and appreciative.
TIPS Archives Results of Effective EQ Training Programs Developing and managing emotional intelligence is essential to effective leadership. Herb Kelleher of Southwest Airlines is a classic case and one in which his company developed a high level of emotional intelligence (see our article, "How Leaders Can Incorporate Emotional Intelligence in Their Organizations"). Here are some other situations where emotional intelligence played a role in significant organizational results: At L'Oreal, sales agents selected on the basis of certain emotional competencies significantly outsold salespeople selected through the company's traditional selection procedure. On an average annual basis, salespeople selected on the basis of emotional competence sold $91,370 more than other salespeople. The former group also had 63% less turnover during the first year than those selected in the typical way (Spencer, McClelland, & Kelner, 1997). Financial advisors at American Express whose managers completed the Emotional Competence training program were compared to an equal number whose managers had not. During the year following training, the advisors of trained managers grew their businesses by 18% compared to 16% for those whose managers were untrained. In a national insurance company, insurance sales agents who were weak in emotional competencies such as self-confidence, initiative, and empathy sold policies with an average premium of $54,000. Those who were very strong in at least 5 of 8 key emotional competencies sold policies worth $114,000 (Hay/McBer Research and Innovation Group, 1997). 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 (Spencer, L. M., Jr., 1997). In a large beverage firm, using standard methods to hire division presidents, 50% left within two years, mostly because of poor performance. When they started selecting based on emotional competencies such as initiative, self-confidence, and leadership, only 6% left in two years. The executives selected based on emotional competence were far more likely to perform in the top third based on performance bonuses. (McClelland, 1999). Research by the Center for Creative Leadership has found that the primary causes of derailment in executives involve deficits in emotional competence. Difficulty in handling change, not being able to work well in a team setting, and poor interpersonal relations were the primary causes for derailment. These results clearly show the benefits of EQ training. Contact us if you are interested in having your EQ assessed and if you'd like to develop a plan to increase your EQ for work or personal reasons. Questions about EQ and Your Organization
Every month we give recommendations on making your work life more manageable and enjoyable. Check the website for other tips in this series. LEADERSHIP NEWS Archives Emotional Intelligence: What It Is And Why It Is Important "Something we were withholding made us weak, until we found out it was ourselves." ~Robert Frost Frost's quote refers to the heart, not the head, something so many bright and efficient managers check at the door every day. In business, initiatives are typically decided upon through rationality, measurement, analysis, statistics, intellect, and conceptual brilliance. All of that is necessary, but insufficient, in terms of true organizational qualitative growth. Emotions and feelings provide each of us with vital information every minute of the day. And that feedback is from the heart, not the head. It is the information that ignites creative genius, keeps us honest, shapes relationships, provides an inner compass for life, guides us to unexpected possibilities, and may save our organization or our life! It is the realm of Emotional Intelligence (EQ). Defined: Emotional intelligence is the ability to sense, understand, and effectively apply the power and insight of emotions as a source of energy, information, connection and influence. Emotional intelligence is especially important because, unlike IQ, it directly affects personal and professional relationships. Among other things, EQ is a major measure of one's ability to interact positively with others. Some would say that as a society, we have not done well with our more rational, information-based, emotion-averse approach. In the book Executive EQ, Robert Cooper and Ayman Sawaf note that, "Despite the information revolution and a population with intellectual prowess without equal in history, we have:…relationships crumbling,…trust vanishing,…lawyers thriving,…cynicism rising,…hatred spreading, … and politics of democracy little more than sound bites and media events." As the business environment has become increasingly dependent on team effort and collaboration, a person's ability to work with others has become more important than ever. Accordingly, understanding, managing and employing one's emotions positively in interactions with others is crucial. For the organization, the presence of EQ-savvy employees can enhance its growth in a healthy manner. In the book, The Emotionally Intelligent Workplace, Cary Cherniss and Daniel Goleman provide a four-part framework for emotional intelligence competencies, revising Goleman's 1998 model. The framework helps us understand the role and interaction of EQ components in work settings. YOU: Personal Competence 1. Self-Awareness The first step on the road to personal competence is to be able to recognize and identify one's emotions. This is self-awareness. Concerning EQ, it is most important that the self-awareness be accurate self awareness. 2. Self-Management The next step is to be able to self-manage in order to be a successful team member. The ability to control and direct one's actions appropriately with others results in trust formation and is based on your conscientiousness and adaptability. The drive to achieve and direct an achievement-based organization is formed through the foundation of trust. WITH OTHERS: Social Competence 1. Social-Awareness Social competence starts by developing the ability to empathize and serve others. This is absolutely critical in minimizing the negative effects of organizational politics. Strong organizational awareness accompanies the empathy and service orientation. 2. Relationship-Management The final component, and the one that drives healthy organizational change, is relationship-management. It requires competency in the previous components. Qualitative organizational growth will occur through positive influence. That positive influence is based on developing the capabilities of others, promoting open communication, managing conflict positively, encouraging collaboration, and helping others to become more emotionally intelligent. In the end, a more pure, committed, emotionally healthy organization that "Does things right" and "Does the right things" can result. People will be energized by internal drives and emotionally committed to the organization and its development. Real, lasting, long-term positive change will result. Overall, high EQ individuals are able to achieve results and cope with the ups and downs of work and life situations. Likewise, organizations built on a strong foundation of EQ-healthy employees are able to achieve strong results and withstand the ups and downs of business. Southwest Airlines, under the leadership of Herb Kelleher, is a classic example (see our article "How Leaders Can Incorporate Emotional Intelligence in Their Organizations"). EQ training programs have been shown to be an effective way for individuals to increase their EQ, thereby helping themselves and their organizations to be more effective (see our summary article "Results of Effective EQ Training Programs"). At Henle Management, we specialize in such issues as emotional intelligence and other issues that drive the success of organizations. Contact us if you would like to set up an EQ training program in your organization. GUIDANCE FOR YOUNG PROFESSIONALS Archives Key Emotional Intelligence Components Developing strong emotional intelligence can result in a recipe for employee self-motivation and improvement. By understanding EQ, employees can become more self-aware, understand how their behavior affects co-workers, and then create a road map to achieve group and individual goals. 1. Achievement Drive To become self-motivated, you first must develop the internal drive to achieve that will push you to become successful. Setting challenging goals and objectives, pursuing information to increase your efficiency, focusing on results, and learning how to improve performance are key aspects of developing a healthy achievement drive. 2. Commitment When you develop a commitment to a given organizational goal, you must be willing to make sacrifices in order to achieve that goal. To sustain commitment, you must find the goal to be meaningful, you must value the group's values in making decisions that affect the larger organization, and you must actively seek out opportunities that will help you achieve the desired goal. 3. Initiative Once you are committed to a goal, you must also have or develop the initiative to pursue it vigorously. In developing initiative, you must seize key opportunities, pursue results beyond what's only formally expected of you, find creative solutions to problems, and ultimately mobilize others to do the same. 4. Optimism Optimism is the final ingredient essential to self-motivation. Bumps in the road will arise and it is those who will persevere that will get where they need to go. If you're optimistic, you'll continue pushing forward despite setbacks, work with an expectation of success, and deal with setbacks as external obstacles rather than internal flaws in your plan. Questions for Young Professionals about EQ
Contact us if you would like to do an EQ assessment and develop an EQ-improvement plan. GUIDANCE FOR MANAGERS Archives How Leaders Can Incorporate Emotional Intelligence in Their Organizations The goals of managers concerning the appropriate use of emotional intelligence should include building an environment that draws out the individual and social competencies of their team. A classic example of this has been the leadership of Herb Kelleher, Chairman of the Board and former CEO of Southwest Airlines. Kelleher's ability to develop an esprit de corps within Southwest has been unmatched in the airline or any other industry. The result has been a profitable airline, minimal turnover, strong employee identification with the Southwest spirit, and maximum employee commitment in doing a great job. In the post 9/11 world where other major airlines followed a downward financial spiral toward bankruptcy, Southwest has been the only carrier with consistent profits. What is the secret? Interestingly, Southwest neither uses the latest management fads or training trends. Nor does it pay its employees the highest salaries (they've always paid dead-center in the middle of the industry). Rather, a large batch of common sense, trust, fun, and the employee as #1 has made Southwest a model of an emotionally intelligent organization. The fusion of employee skills, abilities, trust and energy comes together to create and evolve the esprit de corps. 1. Inspirational Leadership Real leadership cannot simply be directive and functional, but must strive to guide and inspire the group to attain goals. The key is to inspire others to action. Proper understanding of what approach to use to inspire is critical for leaders. Kelleher was noted for various outlandish un-CEO like behaviors including dressing up in a bunny suit at Easter, helping at the ticket counter, and assisting baggage handlers. Such actions had an inspiring and energizing effect on employees who realized no job was "below the CEO." 2. Developing Others High EQ managers never stop developing their employees and helping them to achieve greater levels of performance. Development toward mutually agreed upon goals will lead to employees taking more accountability for their performance and being more invested in the outcome of their labor. 3. Change Catalyst In most cases, inspiring and developing others leads to an inevitable batch of changes that must be addressed to improve the organization. Leaders must be able to orchestrate change through a mixture of inspiration, goal-setting, communication, coaching, and employing the right resources at the right time. Change orchestration really involves mixing the above ingredients and making a nutritious "stew," one that is "tastier" than the current culture. 4. Conflict Management Managing group conflict is just as important as managing group performance. Leaders must be ready to understand conflict first and then positively re-channel energies toward achieving worthwhile goals. 5. Influence The culmination of all these efforts is the ability to positively influence others. By successfully inspiring others to be something better and helping them to get there, by managing change and negotiating the conflicts that arise, teams will come to respect, admire and respond to you as both a manager and leader. Questions for Managers about EQ
To learn more about the EQ and how we can help with EQ training programs contact Henle Management, LLC today. GENERATIONS AT WORK Archives The Corporate Melting Pot and the Problems of the Generations It had been assumed, but now data verified the suspicions. According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 40 percent of surveyed human resource professionals reported that they observed conflict between employees based on generational differences (Generational Differences Survey, 8/2004). In larger organizations (500 employees or more), the problem is even greater with 58 percent of HR professionals indicating conflict situations. What are the primary reasons for the conflict? Work ethic (including work/life balance) and different views on the use of technology were the top reasons for conflict. But a more concerning pattern is also found in the report. Many firms said they had lost Gen Xers and Millennial because these employees did not think they could advance in their organizations due to Veterans and Baby Boomers residing in top positions. Piecing all these themes together portrays a daunting picture of the modern corporate environment: A place where younger employees not only have different expectations than their older counterparts, but also warily view those at the top of the hierarchy. Some businesses have taken positive steps to address the generational conflict through team-building and other training programs, internal and external coaching, mentoring, affinity groups, and coach the coach programs. Even small steps such as workshops on "Understanding the Generations" for work teams and departments have a positive effect. Clearly, those organizations believe in the power of the whole—that by educating and confronting the issue head on teams become more cohesive, stronger and more productive, resulting in organization-wide improvement. Additionally, the cross-generational suspicions, fears, and misconceptions are addressed and lessened. And, by developing a stronger team, the organization taps into an area that Millennial employees especially crave while also calming the work/life balance fears of Gen X employees. Wondering how to do the same at your organization? Then check out this month's article for managers, "Bridging the Generational Divide" as well as prior articles at www.henlemanagement.com. These are some of the questions and issues that we hope give you some of our insight into the generational issues facing modern American business. Please refer to prior months' articles in this series, "The Mysterious Millennials," and "The Other Generations." At Henle Management, LLC, we understand how these issues affect the business world and can assist your organization in designing and implementing effective workforce programs.
|
 |