Tipping Points of Emotional Intelligence
How emotions impact one's professional life is often
underestimated. Emotional intelligence (EI) accounts for 85 to 90 percent of
the difference between outstanding and average leaders (Boyatzis & McKee,
2005). Cognitive intelligence might be crucial in the workforce, specifically
those related to specialized areas in which expertise is the foundation of the
business. What if often neglected in how emotional intelligence impacts people
in leadership positions.
To have a deeper understanding of EI in leadership it is
necessary to look at it through the lens of competencies. Emotional
intelligently speaking, competencies are the underlying characteristics of the
person that led to or caused effective or superior performance (Boyatzis,
1982). It is defined as different sets of behavior organized around an
underlying construct called the intent (Boyatzis, 2009).
Cognitive and emotional intelligence competencies influence performance,
however, 93% of the competencies predicting performance are from the emotional
intelligence clusters (Boyatzis, 2006).
Competencies have been shown to differentiate outstanding
managers and leaders from their not so effective counterparts. Therefore, it is
necessary to clarify which competencies are necessary for outstanding
performance and to analyze the tipping point of these competencies, which is to
examine how much of the competency is sufficient for outstanding performance
(Boyatzis, 2006). Boyatzis (2011), in research about tipping point and its
influence on leadership performance, listed the following EI competencies for
analysis: initiative, planning, achievement orientation, self-confidence,
taking a risky stand, self-control, adaptability, conscientiousness, values
learning, oral presentations, networking, leadership, coaching, empathy,
influence, facilitates learning, and distinguishes the firm’s reputation and
resources.
There are instances where I have experienced a tipping
point at my current organization. Using Boyatzis's (2011) list as a reference,
follow below the competencies in my examples, which are among the competencies
which have shown a significant impact in the financial performance, based in
the mentioned research. For the purpose of this reflection, I will mention how
positive or negative emotional attractors (PEA and NEA) played a role in them.
Valuing Learning
There was not one specific situation, but a continuous
process of learning. It is not common in my department for employees, at any
rank, to voluntarily look for self-development and learning, as it does not
have a direct impact on promotions. Despite this tendency, I registered for my
master’s degree, attended all the workshops available for my department, all
webinars related to leadership (which involves my rank), and registered for
e-learnings (including LinkedIn learning, which has a partnership with my
organization).
The result of that is my close relationship with my manager
to discuss the topics I learn, our exchange of knowledge, and what I believe
was one point of influence on her recommending me for a promotion opened a few
months ago, which had a tight competition. In the current situation of expected
lay-offs, my manager contacted me and informed me if performance criteria would
be taken place for the layoffs, I should not concern, as apart of duty
performance, my off duty competencies would count in my favor.
In regards to the PEA, I believe that my social skills and
my relationship with my manager as an outcome of my ongoing learning, and my
engagement with her in a positive way, focused on a positive outcome of the
future, is what influenced me to experience a tipping point on valuing
learning. There is nothing I would have done differently, apart from developing
a journal of all my learning outcomes and sharing regularly with my manager.
Influencing and Distinguishing the Firm’s Reputation and Resources
A few months ago, I experience a suspect theft on board,
where a customer crossed to a different cabin and took the premium perfumes
from the business class cabin, which on that day, I was in charge. My onboard
manager was the first one to notice and delegated me to solve the issue,
although I was not in charge of the customer’s cabin. After a long process of
decision making between me and the manager, security procedures to follow, and
challenging communication I had with the customer, the theft was confirmed, and
the perfumes returned.
Then it was time to decide what to do with that
information. I asked for a meeting in the cockpit, with the pilots, the
manager, and the other supervisor, so we could, in collaboration, find the best
outcome. We called the network control officer, who gave three alternatives.
Thinking about the company’s reputation and resources, I influenced my peers to
decide on calling security on arrivals, to meet the airplane and deal with the
customers (thief and complier). My thinking was in the long term, and the
consequences of letting the situation go with no further actions towards the
customers. With this action, I believe I passed a message to those customers
(and perhaps to their counterparts) that taking items from different cabins,
designated to remain onboard is not acceptable.
In regard to the
company reputation, I believe with this decision a message was passed of how my
organization takes security measures seriously, independent of the explicit
consequences, the monetary value involved, and the short-term negative impact
of strict decisions. In the influence competency, I involved all parts,
listened to opinions, discussed possible impacts of the decision, and using
this collaboration as a resource, I critically though and together, me and the
onboard leadership team, reached a decision, which was ultimately passed to me to
decide, as I was the one directly involved with the incident.
Regarding the attractors, I believe NEA played a role when
communicating with customers. I believe a created a defensive posture by
imposing assumptions based on the information I had at hand (which was not
known for the customers yet). I tried to be open and give the chance to resolve
it with no further consequences, but after I noticed resistance and lies, I
pushed perhaps harder than I should get the confirmation of the theft. It took
a toll on the communication flow, as it turned from solving a simple situation,
into a threat of accusation, to finally, get the outcome I wanted. Because of
this defensiveness, the entire process took three hours. On the other hand,
with my peers, I believe the PEA played a role, through engagement and genuine
care about other’s opinion.
Learning about
competencies increases my awareness of EI. As it is a broad subject, it becomes
hard to accurately measure and understand it, but studying it through the
competency lens, it becomes clearer why EI has such a significant impact on
leadership. Through this reflection and the materials studied, I hope to
enhance my self-awareness, sharpen my self-management and social skills, and
improve my relationship, now based on a deeper understanding of the topic.
References
Boyatzis, R.E. (1982).
The competent manager: a model for effective performance. New York: John Wiley
and Sons
Boyatzis, R., &
McKee, A. (2005). Resonant leadership. Boston, MA: Harvard
Business School Press
Boyatzis, R.E. (2006).
Using tipping points of emotional intelligence and cognitive competencies to
predict financial performance of leaders. Psicothema, 18, 124-131.
Boyatzis, R. E.
(2009). Competencies as a behavioral approach to emotional intelligence.
Journal of Management Development, 28(9), 749-770
Boyatzis, R.E. (2011).
Neuroscience and leadership: the promise of insights. Ivey Business
Journal. Retrieved from https://iveybusinessjournal.com/publication/neuroscience-and-leadership-the-promise-of-insights/
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