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A review by jrc2011
Primal Leadership: Unleashing the Power of Emotional Intelligence by Annie McKee, Daniel Goleman, Richard E. Boyatzis
5.0
Another very enjoyable book based on neuroscience -- here, the authors argue that the number one, original and most important role of a leader is emotional.
Humans are very social -- we're entirely constructed that way and we even automatically copy the posture, mood and expressions of those with whom we are connecting with, even heart rate! "We rely on connections with other people for our own emotional stability" and our limbic systems connect to each other.
People take their cues from leaders -- the look for emotional responses and behavior to emulate. Leaders serve as "limbic attractors" and can exert influence more easily when they are upbeat and positive, as the authors say “nobody wants to work for a grouch.” Negative moods disrupt work and break focus from the task at hand. Many studies show that good moods result in good work.
Leaders need to be able to connect with their constituents and motivate them positively. There are two large groups of leadership styles -- resonant and dissonant -- which drive team emotions (and action) positively and negatively. The authors take a deep dive into the different kinds of resonant and dissonant leadership styles --issuing warnings about the latter.
How does a leader become a "resonant" leader? The chief emotional intelligence competencies include: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and relationship management. It's critical for individuals to identify and refine their values, decide who they want to be, become aware of who they are now and come up with a plan for building on strengths, practicing new skills at every opportunity and establish a supportive network to make this change possible.
Empathy, of course, can be learned. It's important to practice -- the authors remind us, "athletes spend more time practicing than performing!"
Of course, there's a catch: you can have the most emotionally intelligent leader but if she's in the wrong place, it won't do the organization any good.
For emotionally intelligent leadership to be effective, it has to work for the culture of an organization. If your organization is not "resonant" or has some challenges and you want to change culture, two things have to happen: first, emotional intelligence/resonant leadership must be modeled from the top down and the constituents have to be involved in the process of transformation. Every single individual has to be engaged in a process of individual change so that the entire team or organization can start moving in that direction.
Of course - it's not as simple as just sending a few people off to some seminars or having HR organize training for specific people. The half-life of seminars and education varies based on how well the lessons are supported within the culture to which one returns. Teams need to be brought into the process of transformation to identify the norms and culture -- and most people find it easy to agree on the things that are working well. Getting an accurate picture of the things that aren't working well and coming up with alternatives is the most important part of transformation -- along with practice, practice, practice.
The authors repeatedly stress the importance of leaders communicating with their constituents or team -- understanding their values and dreams. This is a pretty common bit of advice from current management/leadership authors such as John Maxwell, Kouzes & Posner and others. And - you cannot be a good leader unless you are being authentic: know yourself, know your values and how they match up to the company. "Primal Leadership" wants you to be a leader who listens, can attune your values to those of your organization, and bring along the team -- this means not just setting aside time for heart-to-heart chats, but also setting aside time for quiet reflection (esp meditation) as a way to tap into what you're picking up subconsciously.
And - why do we do this? More and more, research is showing that the power of group/collective decision-making (with groups that display qualities of emotional intelligence) is superior to that of the brightest individual in the group. By developing emotional intelligence skills in all individuals, teams and organizations, you improve performance, morale, loyalty, satisfaction and many other qualities that make people happy and successful.
Humans are very social -- we're entirely constructed that way and we even automatically copy the posture, mood and expressions of those with whom we are connecting with, even heart rate! "We rely on connections with other people for our own emotional stability" and our limbic systems connect to each other.
People take their cues from leaders -- the look for emotional responses and behavior to emulate. Leaders serve as "limbic attractors" and can exert influence more easily when they are upbeat and positive, as the authors say “nobody wants to work for a grouch.” Negative moods disrupt work and break focus from the task at hand. Many studies show that good moods result in good work.
Leaders need to be able to connect with their constituents and motivate them positively. There are two large groups of leadership styles -- resonant and dissonant -- which drive team emotions (and action) positively and negatively. The authors take a deep dive into the different kinds of resonant and dissonant leadership styles --issuing warnings about the latter.
How does a leader become a "resonant" leader? The chief emotional intelligence competencies include: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and relationship management. It's critical for individuals to identify and refine their values, decide who they want to be, become aware of who they are now and come up with a plan for building on strengths, practicing new skills at every opportunity and establish a supportive network to make this change possible.
Empathy, of course, can be learned. It's important to practice -- the authors remind us, "athletes spend more time practicing than performing!"
Of course, there's a catch: you can have the most emotionally intelligent leader but if she's in the wrong place, it won't do the organization any good.
For emotionally intelligent leadership to be effective, it has to work for the culture of an organization. If your organization is not "resonant" or has some challenges and you want to change culture, two things have to happen: first, emotional intelligence/resonant leadership must be modeled from the top down and the constituents have to be involved in the process of transformation. Every single individual has to be engaged in a process of individual change so that the entire team or organization can start moving in that direction.
Of course - it's not as simple as just sending a few people off to some seminars or having HR organize training for specific people. The half-life of seminars and education varies based on how well the lessons are supported within the culture to which one returns. Teams need to be brought into the process of transformation to identify the norms and culture -- and most people find it easy to agree on the things that are working well. Getting an accurate picture of the things that aren't working well and coming up with alternatives is the most important part of transformation -- along with practice, practice, practice.
The authors repeatedly stress the importance of leaders communicating with their constituents or team -- understanding their values and dreams. This is a pretty common bit of advice from current management/leadership authors such as John Maxwell, Kouzes & Posner and others. And - you cannot be a good leader unless you are being authentic: know yourself, know your values and how they match up to the company. "Primal Leadership" wants you to be a leader who listens, can attune your values to those of your organization, and bring along the team -- this means not just setting aside time for heart-to-heart chats, but also setting aside time for quiet reflection (esp meditation) as a way to tap into what you're picking up subconsciously.
And - why do we do this? More and more, research is showing that the power of group/collective decision-making (with groups that display qualities of emotional intelligence) is superior to that of the brightest individual in the group. By developing emotional intelligence skills in all individuals, teams and organizations, you improve performance, morale, loyalty, satisfaction and many other qualities that make people happy and successful.