Emotional intelligence and the mood of your organization

When Manfred FR Kets de Vries, the director of Insead’s Global Leadership Center, was asked how he identified successful leaders, without hesitation he replied: “The first thing I look for is emotional intelligence.” Emotional Intelligence (EI) is a term/skill that is receiving a lot of attention these days in management and leadership circles. Much of the 360 Feedback evaluation tool is devoted to measuring, to some extent, a person’s emotional intelligence. This month we will look at EI and how it can help you become a more successful leader. Emotional intelligence, as described by Daniel Goleman, the EI guru, “includes self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy and social skill.” • Self-awareness is the ability to recognize and understand your moods, emotions, and drives, as well as their effect on others. If you are self-confident, realistic about your personal assessment, and have a self-depreciating sense of humor, most likely you are self-aware. •