Leading self with character is the most critical of the five principles addressed by our leadership programs. It is our goal to assist people in developing the personal character qualities necessary for effective leadership. Self awareness and self control are important prerequisites that must be mastered before a person can attempt to understand and influence others. These character qualities undergird a leader's decisions and actions.
Since we believe that leadership is primarily relational, developing the personal traits needed for leadership begins as we relate to one another in the classroom or through online conversations. As faculty, we strive get to know each of our students individually so that we can assess their personal strengths, determine areas for improvement, and direct students toward growth as individuals. Mentoring relationships are crucial to any emerging leader and an important cornerstone of our programs.
Of the characteristics we hope to model for and encourage in our students, Emotional Intelligence is the most measurable. Daniel Goleman, who popularized this idea in his best selling book, Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ, asserts the theory that our ability to understand and control our emotions may be more predictive of our success than than our intellectual abilities.
A few important things to understand about Emotional Intelligence:
- Emotional Intelligence can be taught. Although some of our ability to deal with our emotions is innate, people can increase their emotional intelligence through counseling or coaching. We can teach others how to identify their emotions and how to understand the difference between their emotions, thoughts, and actions. Once people gain this self awareness, they are able to harness their emotions toward useful solutions.
- Our curriculum has a focus on active participation. Group discussions of on the job experiences allow students and faculty to explore how their emotions are influencing their performance at work.
- Good social skills and awareness of social networks are essential in the workplace. To say that people need to be able to communicate well with others to be successful at work may seem obvious. However, most of us overestimate our emotional intelligence. An understanding of how well we actually function in our relationships with others may be the motivation we need to make a change toward more productive interactions with others. Those of us who manage our relationships well soon create a valuable network of people who will join with us in achieving our goals.
- Emotional Intelligence is essential during stressful times. Leaders strong in Emotional Intelligence are able to listen well and empathize with others. Goleman says that the emotional task of leadership is primal, the original and most important act of leadership. In difficult times, leaders can redirect people toward an optimistic outlook that will help them combat the negative impact of stress.
