Do You Understand Your Emotional Intelligence?

There has been a lot said over the past several years about the EI of individuals and how one really needs to understand the value of it in business. Certainly if you at least understand what EI is you can see how it works in business by:

• recognizing the impact of EI abilities have on your professional development and career;
• understanding how to minimize counterproductive tendencies
• how it can help in managing challenges and personal interactions
• evaluating your current EI mood
• how to recognize verbal and non-verbal cues to better understand people. 

These are just a few ways EI can help in the workplace so understanding your own EI is extremely important in today's world.  

So what are some of the key characteristics of EI:

1. Aware of thoughts and feelings and their impact on behavior.

Emotionally intelligent people tend to have a high level of self-awareness that enables them to know how they are reacting to the social and physical environment and how this is influencing their response. They can distinguish between issues they feel strongly about and possibly be hypersensitive to and issues that are relatively neutral to them. More important, they are aware of the tendency to project their own thoughts and feelings on to other people and are careful to distinguish between there own issues and those of others.

2. Aware of strengths, weaknesses and vulnerabilities and open to feedback from others.

Emotionally intelligent people are well in touch with their potential and do not play themselves down with a false sense of humility. They also know and accept that there are areas in their life where they need to develop, issues they need to resolve, and personal characteristics they need to work on. They are not afraid of being vulnerable because they accept that they have strengths and weaknesses. They have a sense of security that enables them to accept challenging feedback and encourage others to give them honest feedback about their work performance and how they come across inter-personally.

3. Able to contain intense negative or positive emotions without losing control.

Emotionally intelligent people are able to experience a full range of emotions including intense anger, frustration, hurt, joy, pleasure, etc. However, the behavioral manifestation of their emotions is moderated by an awareness of the consequences of their behavior and a clear focus on what needs to be achieved. This is one of the more challenging characteristics of emotional intelligence because while remaining natural and spontaneous emotionally intelligent people will harness their expression of what they are feeling and behave in a situationally appropriate and effective way.

4. Clear about values and principles that are consistent with actions.

Emotionally intelligent people usually show a high level of consistency between what they believe, what they say, and what they do. The alignment of these three elements reduces internal conflict and enables them to be clear about their decisions that are usually value or principle based. This results in honest and fair dealings with other people, avoiding the use of deception. Leaders who manage to be this way earn a high degree of respect, trust and credibility in organizations.

5. Proactive and persistent in achieving goals even in the face of setbacks.

Martin Luther King once said “The ultimate measure of a man (person) is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy”. Emotionally intelligent people tend to recover from setbacks and regard them as inevitable. They use setbacks as an opportunity to grow and are open to new ideas and opportunities. Furthermore they take initiative in transforming a setback into something they can maximize in terms of learning for future decisions and actions.

6. Sensitive to other people’s feelings and able to offer constructive feedback.

One characteristic that really distinguishes emotionally intelligent people is their awareness and sensitivity to other people’s feelings. Rather than being oblivious to the emotional currents around them, they are tuned to them and use people’s emotional states as important information as to how best to interact and deal with them. When offering feedback, they do so in the most constructive way keeping foremost in their mind, the other person and what, how, and much he or she can take. This focus on the “other” and a willingness to serve gives them the ability to recognize other people’s needs and what motivates them, understand the human dynamics of the people around them, and work towards creating a secure emotional climate.

7. Promote other people’s success without feeling threatened.

One of the more challenging characteristics of emotionally intelligent people especially in leadership positions is the ability and willingness to promote other people’s advancement, celebrate their success without feeling threatening by their achievements. This characteristic shows a high level of maturity and security in a person. It is also an indicator that the person’s sense of worth is not based on their social status, economic situation, or educational level but on valuing themselves as unique persons.

8. Communicate openly, and are willing and able to listen to others.

On a skills level, emotionally intelligent people are effective at communicating openly and are particularly good at listening to others and empathizing with them. They regard conflict as an inevitable part of healthy working relationships that are based on honesty and are committed to resolving conflicts fairly. They are able to offer sound arguments in a non-threatening way that respects the others’ point of view. Their arguing is not based on ridicule and domination of the other person but on sincere dialogue where diverse points of view are considered.

9. Capable of taking leading roles in work and family life.

Emotionally intelligent people seem to be naturally comfortable in leading and influencing roles. They are willing to share expertise and are constantly open to learning from others whatever their position in the organization. They regard change as positive and inevitable yet always maintain the value of continuity and preservation of what is effective.

10. Believe in the power of teams and the positive effect of synergy.

Emotionally intelligent people recognize how powerful teams can be when managed effectively. They are able to bring people together, cultivating positive relationships based on trust and cooperation. They invest time in this because they know that it is the ultimate strength that determines the health of an organization and as a result its success in achieving its objectives. Although one cannot determine with empirical certainty whether people who possess the above ten characteristics have a high level of emotional intelligence, they are surely among the key indicators of an emotionally intelligent disposition. They can be used as a quick self-analysis regarding our own attitudes and behaviors and help us to identify areas for our

ongoing development.

Hopefully this will help you as you work effectively with your C-suite colleagues and as you develop your team. Let me know if this helps you at wgstevens2@gmail.com 

How To Moderate A Great Panel

How many times have you watched a panel and thought it was entertaining and informative? Hated it and left?

Talk to the moderator.

Moderating a panel is much more than showing up to toss out a few ill-prepared questions to a panel of experts.

Moderating a panel can be deceptively hard because the quality of the panelists may be beyond your control.

Think of it this way, when you moderate a panel you have an opportunity to entertain and inform the audience through your panel members and with a little preparation, you can be on the right track to filling the seats.

Prepare

Be sure the panel topic is one that will benefit from a variety of experiences, points of view or approaches and then do your homework. Research current data, industry trends, and hot buttons. Research your panelists.

Determine the pace of the panel. Is it a deliberate build-up to the main point, rapid fire, or something in between? Be careful with your pacing. You will see more backsides than eyeballs if the the audience has to wait too long to get what they came for.

Contact your panelists before hand to ask what they'd like to talk about, discuss your expectations for the panel, and identify the points you as a panel want the audience to leave with.

Prepare more questions than you think you'll need. I recently prepared questions (enough for a full day session) and assigned them to panel members so they could be prepared with thoughtful answers. For spontaneity, I'd think twice before I prepared panelists to this extent again.

Plan to be a moderator and NOT a panel member. Repeat after me: plan to be a moderator and NOT a panel member. This is not the time to test out portions of your keynote.

Deliver

Audience members are arriving (phew!) so you know there is something about the session that is drawing them in. Now, it's time to deliver.

Briefly introduce yourself. Tell the audience just what they need to know to understand why you are moderating this panel.

Introduce the panel members or have them introduce themselves. I've done both. Next time, as Judy Clemens writes in her Moderator's Manifesto: How To Moderate a Great Panel, I am not going to do introductions as introductions. I will weave them into my questions.

What else?

Depart from your script. "Realize your script, your prepared questions, is only a guideline. Ideally," Judy writes, "your questions will provoke panelists to riff on each other's responses."

Move the podium if you are not able to see your panelists, have a wireless mic so you can be mobile, consider timers for your panel table, brush up on your intervention and redirection skills, be professional at all times and have fun.

Close

Leave time for audience questions. Honor the clock and respect your audience by ending on time. Thank the audience and panel members as you close and be sure to let the audience know how that can contact you and the panel members. Come from around the table or podium and down off the stage to speak with your guests.

Critique, consider or question (but don't beat yourself up). What went well, what did not go as well as you had expected and what what could you do differently next time?

So, what's worked for you or what have you seen work for other moderators? What have you vowed to never do (or never do again) as a moderator?

Photo credit iStockphoto

from HR Thoughts 

Aging CHROs - When to Leave!

Do you remember when you first started in HR? You were amazed at people around you that had already spent 20+ years in HR and were thinking of retiring. You never thought you would ever get to that point in your career yet alone that age. 


As we see the workforce aging and Boomers moving out as the new generations take over we have to stop and think" when should I leave". I am sure everyone has asked that question. Look at some of your heroes, Ali,  Howe, Blanda to name a few. They just never got it. They went long past their time to retire. So you have to ask yourself the question again " when should I leave". 


Here are a couple of key things to consider:

• do I have a succession plan in place;
• have I accomplished all that I wanted to 
• am I getting hints from the leadership team
• is my relationship with the CEO changing and he/she is asking my #2 more than asking me?

If you can answer yes to most of these then don't pull an Ali, Blanda, or Howe. Leave the company on a high note and with an accomplishment that the entire company feels the impact. 

Social Media Becoming a Bigger Part of the Hiring Process

Phoenix Business Journal : Thursday, April 19, 2012, 9:58am MST

Social media is becoming a favored tool of research for companies looking to fill positions.

A CareerBuilder survey released Wednesdaysaid 37 percent of companies are turning to social media sites to help screen candidates. They're looking for the job candidate's professional presentation, whether he or she will fit into the corporate culture and look at qualifications.

Twelve percent told CareerBuilder that they use social networking to find out if there's a reason not to hire a candidate. The top reasons include posting an inappropriate photo, evidence of using drugs or drinking and criticizing former employers.

"You can certainly learn a lot about a person by viewing their public, online personas," CareerBuilder Vice President of Human Resources Rosemary Haefner said in a statement. "However, hiring managers and human resources departments have to make a careful, determined decision as to whether information found online is relevant to the candidates' qualifications for the job."

She suggested that candidates tailor their social media profiles to maximize attractiveness to employers and get rid of anything that puts you in a bad light.

Interesting fact from the survey: Eleven percent of those hiring professionals said they couldn't glean anything from social media sites about candidates because their corporate policy doesn't allow it.

To test your company’s social media presence, you can enter the Phoenix Business Journal’sSocial Madness presented by Capital One Spark Business. It’s a competition designed to test your company’s social media presence in a tournament-style challenge. Here are all the details.

How Important Are Relationships After You Leave A Company?

There was an article in a recent HR publication this month that asked the question "how important are relationships after you leave a company". I am sure you know the answer to this question. They are very important especially the managers, directors, C-level individuals you had built strong relationships with over the years.


As many of you know; the working world especially when you stay in a particular field forging your career, the working population in that field seem to pop up as you move from company to company. So, make sure that when you leave a company that you stay in touch with those important people who you worked with. As I can attest, I have continued to meet regularly with my former CEO, CFO, COB to name a few to keep the relationship fresh, up to date, informed, just in case I do run into them in another company. 


Keep the relationship fresh, cordial, and build on the relationship rather than let it wain. 

How Would You Do If You Were Ranked By Your Former Employees?

I saw and interesting article this week about a Glassdoor survey   which shows that the highest rated CEO is Tim Cook of Apple. 
His approval rating was a whopping 97 percent. That rating even beat out his former boss, Steve Jobs. And as so many have reported, Jobs was pretty challenging to work for.

That was not what surprised me, though.

I wondered about how we, as leaders and managers, would be rated by our former direct reports. How would we fare?

Staying connected with former colleagues

This week I heard from two of my former direct reports that I have stayed in touch with over the years. As a matter of fact, since my college days I have been working to stay connected with former co-workers and direct reports, some more than others.

My conversations with the two I talked with this week centered on their careers, and basically, which turn should they take? My advice is always simple and straightforward: take the turn that leads you toward your destination. If you don’t have a destination, any turn will get you there.

I am sure that if my former direct reports and employees were polled, I would get a fairly good, passing grade. Well they did, and I still hear about it today 4 years after leaving. 

There is lots of discussion lately about senior managers “connecting with their workforce .” John Hollon over at TLNT.com did a great piece last week tying engagement to senior leadership.

But let’s walk out of the C-Suite and head down the hallway, or maybe up the stairs.

The Grand Canyon gap analysis

How would your staff rate you if you were to leave or if they were to leave? Rating ourselves, and having someone else rating us, may create a gap as wide as the Grand Canyon. Nothing is more helpful than finding out how others see you. If you can conduct that exercise in an impersonal manner, you find information you simply can’t get any other way. It’s like doing consumer research.

Many times I have counseled managers who think that books should probably be written about their leadership style. They just know that they are the greatest. They think that they have it going on! But as I continue the process of surveying their direct reports, I get a different picture.

Marshall Goldsmith , who is a world renowned executive coach, tells the story of working with a high profile CEO at the board’s request. This leader talked about his prowess as an executive and how his executive team sees him as a great manager. In his eyes, he had it going on. As part of Marshall’s coaching model, he interacts with the CEO’s immediate family as well as the executive team to get their feedback

When he talked to the wife and kids, they all said almost in unison that he was a jerk. He knew EVERYTHING, He was always RIGHT; it was always HIS WAY OR THE HIGHWAY.

When he talked to the executive team, the picture they painted was almost the same. This is what I call, the Grand Canyon gap analysis.

We are never as good as we think we are, and in a lot of cases, not as bad as we think are.

Modeling good behavior

I worked for a CEO at one time who was a marvel to watch in action. You could walk down the halls and hear his voice echoing out from just about any department.

Most amazing to me was seeing him sitting in the mail room. Yes, the mail room. He would stop in and grab a chair to talk about the game or just shoot the breeze. He was so approachable. He thought nothing of sticking his head into any conference room meeting and just grabbing a chair to see what was going on. He was amazing, but also annoying because he would try to complete something that you started. .

This was a paradox for me because when had just joined the company from an engineering company, and let’s just says that something like that would never happen there. NEVER!

Managerial characteristics to live by

So here’s my list of managerial characteristics and behaviors that I have always tried to live by:

• Coach privately and constructively;
• Praise publicly and generously;
• Always maintains a positive attitude – never lose your cool;
• Actively foster a creative and fun work environment;
• Listen sincerely, speak thoughtfully;
• Hire great people and focus on developing them;
• Care about every employee’s career;
• Be quick to take blame if something goes wrong, but credit others when things go well;
• Never gossip or complain about a manager or co-worker; 
• Try to treat every employee with respect, and; 
• Check yourself daily.

Sometimes I would falter on some of the things on my list, but I always used it as an anchor to keep me grounded.

So next time you read or hear about how someone is ranked, whether as a senior executive or manager, before you pass judgement, think about how you would stack up. You may just may be in for a big surprise.

Days of Distractions

There are weekly reminders that one of the greatest barriers to the success of individuals and organizations is distraction. [A powerful curse could be "May my adversaries be distracted."]

In an entertainment-sodden society, avoiding distraction is a chore for the alert. Television, radio, the Internet, and the related technology that put us in touch with a constant flow of amusement, news, and interruptions combine to divert our focus. [Take a note card and make a mark on it every time you encounter a distraction. On most days your tally will be formidable.]

Distraction erodes will and time. We would be better off choosing an activity of pure focus than the halfhearted attention we give to - and pleasure we glean from - those which fall in-between.

Finding Revenue in Social Media

As the world of b-to-b media becomes more digital and mobile, publishers continue to seek new channels of revenue for their brands through apps, virtual events, lead-gen programs and marketing services. Now, it's time to explore the monetization of social media.

I am pleased to report that we have just added a new consulting service, Crain's Social Media, to our BtoB marketing services. This new unit offers social media training, including customized training seminars, as well as personalized executive coaching, social media audits and strategic social media planning and execution.

We have hired Tracy Schmidt to oversee the unit as director of social media training and strategy. Tracy joins us from Tribune Media Group, where she co-created ChicagoNow, a network of 350 blogs, and established a nationwide social media training program. Last year, she taught more than 2,500 people and consulted with organizations including the National Association of Realtors and National Association of Broadcasters. We will now be able to help businesses and executives expand their social footprint, improve their social reputation and train their sales and customer relations groups to use social media for business.

In every issue of Media Business we chronicle the new revenue streams of business media companies and brands, focusing in particular on new digital offerings and strategies. Our own venture is one way we have expanded in the world of digital and marketing services, and if you have a need for social training and strategy in your organization, please reach out to Tracy at tschmidt@crain.com.

Bob Felsenthal can be reached at bfelsenthal@crain.com. Bob Felsenthal is VP-publisher of BtoB and Media Business

4 Reasons I Didn’t Read Your Blog Post

I follow a lot of blogs…and I bet you do too.  There is so much awesome content being produced and I know I don’t find near all of it.  But here is the fact.  I have a real job and a real life.  So just like my e-mail and just like my snail mail, I make quick judgements about which blog posts I will read today and which ones I will breeze right over.   How do I make those decsions?  Probably the same way that you do.  Here are four reasons I may not have read your blog post today:

1. The title of your post did not connect with me.   This is by far the number one reason I skip over a post.  But if the title does catch my attention there are still a few more filters that may result in me skipping your post.
2. I use a “reader” to organize all the blogs I follow. Feeddler for IPad is my favorite.  If I click on the title of your post but I can’t see the entire article, I am very likely to skip reading.  If it is going to take another click I might not go there.  Lame?  Maybe.  But I bet I’m not alone on that.
3. I lose interest in the first few lines.  There is no hook.  There is nothing really there that keeps my attention, so I move on.
4. The post is LOOOONG.  What is long?  That’s hard to say.  750 words?  1,000 words?  It really depends on how good the information is that I’m reading.  But if you are going over 1,000 words, it will need to be full of information I can’t live without to keep me reading.

The second item on this list is an easy fix.  My friend Ben Eubanks over at upstartHR (follow him on twitter at @beneubanks) got me straightened out on this in the first few months I started HDLeader.

The other items take some effort.

What causes you to skip over reading a blog post?

Happy Blogging!

from HRleader.com, Jeff Williams