Rating:

In a hurry?  Recommendation    Product Preview/Demo

Peter Senge’s book The Fifth Discipline suggests that organizations learn only through individuals who learn. If people themselves are not sufficiently motivated to achieve the goals of growth and technological development, there will simply be no growth, no gain in productivity, and no technological development. People with high levels of personal mastery are continually expanding their ability to create the results in life they want. They are committed to a higher level of performance, have a stronger sense of responsibility in their work and family life, take more initiative to do what’s right, and believe success is for everyone. Their actions are a reflection of a higher level of awareness of how they think and feel. They are not reactive; they are responsive. They are the ones who will continue to work in this global economy, while millions of people will be and are being left behind.

In jobs of medium complexity, a top performer is 12 times more productive than those at the bottom and 85 percent more productive than an average performer. In the most complex jobs, a top performer is 127 percent more productive than an average performer. Competency research in over 200 companies and organizations worldwide suggests that about one-third of this difference is due to technical skill and cognitive ability, while two-thirds is due to emotional competence.

In Who Owns Tomorrow? Seven Secrets for the Future of Business (Viking Canada, 2003), Richard Worzel suggests that those who are emotionally intelligent will be able to adapt to the current reality of outsourcing, taking the initiative to extend their value within the company. Companies will go out of their way to keep these people, even creating new positions where they can.

In his new book The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2005),Thomas L. Friedman, foreign affairs columnist for the New York Times and a three-time Pulitzer Prize winner, delves into how globalization is reshaping the economic, cultural, and political landscapes. He suggests how countries, governments, and individuals need to adapt to this development. Jobs and opportunities will go to those who are passionate, hungry, and motivated to be all they can be. Companies can no longer afford to hire passive, toxic, and difficult people. Friedman’s view is not a scare tactic. This is the new reality: we need to be able to connect, communicate, and collaborate. To do that, we need to be emotionally intelligent.

Defining emotional intelligence
The definition of emotional intelligence I like best is from the book Handle with Care: Emotional Intelligence Activity Book (Freedman et al., Six Seconds, 1998):

Emotional Intelligence is a way of recognizing, understanding, and choosing how we think, feel, and act. It shapes our interactions with others and our understanding of ourselves. It defines how and what we learn; it allows us to set priorities; it determines the majority of our daily actions. Research suggests it is responsible for as much as 80% of the "success" in our lives.

The Institute for Health and Human Potential (IHHP) has a client list that includes Fortune 500 companies, top business schools, professional athletes, and Olympic medalists. It has become a leading authority on the impact of emotions on performance. The Institute doesn’t serve business clients alone; parents who want better relationships with their children and individuals who want to increase their performance in all areas of their life are IHHP customers. It offers live seminars in Canada and the United States. (For other countries, contact the IHHP directly.)

The Institute offers a number of tools to improve performance:

• Emotional Intelligence 360 Assessment Tool
• Public workshops
• E-learning program
• Coaching

Eating and learning
I attended the Emotional Intelligence for Personal Leadership workshop. Held in the Kingbridge Centre in King City, 35 minutes from Toronto, Canada, the event featured fabulous food and a wealth of information that redefined empowerment. It made me wish the two-day event had an additional day. How many live seminars have made you wish they were longer instead of shorter? The workshop offers a wealth of ideas that are explained well. The presentation inspired me to do a great deal of extra work. In writing this review, I was well on my way of writing my own book on Emotional Intelligence!

“The Story of Bamboo” on the IHHP’s website was the decisive factor in my decision to attend the workshop. The story convinced me that IHHP understands the importance of what comes after the training. Bill Benjamin, CEO of IHHP, supported my belief when we had a lengthy discussion on the importance of reviewing and reinforcing the material through coaching.

IHHP’s reputation comes from the flexibility and adaptability of their course offerings. Their process is designed to maximized people’s productivity with minimal stress. Although the material is easy to learn, their support tools like their CD and especially the coaching make it easy to apply.

IHHP offers the Playing Big e-learning program to workshop participants and corporate clients. Available on the web or on a CD, it is narrated by Dr. J.P. Pawliw-Fry, president and co-founder of the Institute for Health and Human Potential and one of the highest-rated lecturers at the Kellogg Graduate School of Management Executive Education Program. The program is divided into six modules featuring videos in Macromedia Flash, case studies, and exercises. I found this tool a fabulous bridge between my notes and the workshop. I could easily recapture key points I had missed in the workshop.  Included with the program is a booklet with exercises and coaching questions to think about.

Since attending the workshop, I have used the e-learning program and the booklet a number of times as a support to remember a key point, reflect on how I could do better in a real situation, and respond to the next stressful situation.

Improving the experience
The seminar could be improved by adding an introduction to Playing Big that shows how it can be used for review and coaching. One example I can think of is the section on when you play small or big. When I get triggered, I now ask myself, Do I want to play small–I envision myself getting smaller—or do I want to play big–I see myself getting bigger. That particular image has saved me from engaging in shouting matches with one particular tech person I have to deal with. Come to think of it, he has become quite pleasant recently.

The workshop should also have more practice in using the language of Emotional Intelligence.

It has been said there are three key criteria for successful companies: people, products, and processes. Without the strength of people, there are no products and no processes. People need to believe in the products of the company for it to have any chance of succeeding. The people I met who are connected with IHHP are all believers in the power of Emotional Intelligence. They don’t talk about it a lot; they show it through their actions and bearing. Blair, our instructor, didn’t just teach the information from his head; he shared it from his heart. Louise Aspden, director of Business Development, Canada & Caribbean, didn’t just talk about it—she demonstrated it.

Emotional intelligence 360 assessment tool
Now a word about the company’s assessment instrument. I  have seen too many people hurt by inappropriate feedback so I tend to back away from assessment tools. Having experienced the workshop, I now admit to looking at this 360-assessment tool in a new light. The Emotional Intelligence 360 is divided into four key competencies: Self –Awareness, Emotional Management, Emotional Connection, and Personal Leadership. When we understood what the words mean and how people’s perception of those words are defined, it went along way to minimizing our defensiveness and being open to looking at ourselves from another point of view. We understood the issue was not about being right or wrong. It was about using this assessment as a foundation for dialogue.

Example:  Everyone seemed to have a low score in the area of empathy. We all thought empathy was giving into other people. What it really means is to understand our own emotions related to the issue, listen from the other person’s point of view, make people aware of the consequence, and, together, create a workable solution for both parties. Understanding went a long way to help participants, including me, make adjustments in this area.

Use this link for information on upcoming Emotional Intelligence for Personal Leadership programs or email The Institute.

Recommendation
I thoroughly enjoyed the Emotional Intelligence for Personal Leadership workshop and learned a great deal from it. An understanding of the role of emotions and relationships in creating healthy work environments is now a permanent part of my approach to organizational development and learning. I’m concluding a work sabbatical this year. I now know that if I have to deal with political in-fighting and screaming and yelling in my next position, I will have some tools to help me deal with the storms of corporate life—and not give in to my desire to give these people kicks in their arrogant backsides!

Emotional Intelligence for Personal Leadership Rating

Outstanding;  Very good; Good; Above average; Average; Below average; Poor