Monday, May 12, 2008
Can Paying a Speeding Ticket be a Laughing Matter?
What's the difference between a good leader and an excellent leader ? According to Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ and various other books on the same topic, the answer to that is a no-brainer. You guessed it, of course: it's emotional intelligence. At any rate, that's what accounts for at least 85% of the difference!
And if you think seriously about what emotional intelligence really is, that's no great surprise.
Harvey Deutschendorf, Emotional Intelligence Coach at a large human resource organization, tells in a fascinating article how his company developed a special program to train potential leaders to replace managers who would be retiring in the coming years. As part of the program, a section of the company newsletter was devoted to emotional intelligence. This included sharing stories of personal experiences where emotional intelligence was evident, as examples from which the budding leaders could learn.
The following is one of these stories.
The writer was standing in the cashier's lineup at the local courthouse, waiting to pay for a speeding ticket. Ahead of him, in front of the line , was a short elderly gentleman. He took a fat wad of bills out of his pocket and counted them out in front of the cashier - and as he did so, he was laughing all the while! The writer watched in amazement as the man handed over the money, took his receipt and grinned from ear to ear as he said to the cashier: "Now I'm free!"
The writer was curious to hear what the cashier thought of this, and as he took his turn he remarked to her that he had never seen someone who was happy while paying a fine. They both enjoyed a chuckle and then it struck the writer that he had just witnessed another first - never before had he seen an official in that kind of establishment smile!
When the cashier asked him to sign his credit card stub, the writer quipped that there was no place for a tip on it. As he left, the cashier thanked him for "making my day." As for the very jovial gentleman who by now had disappeared from the scene, little did he probably realize what a powerfully positive effect he had on at least two strangers that day!
After noting that walking away in an upbeat mood after having just paid a fine was anything but typical for him, the writer points out that two lessons he had just learned were, above all, reasons for rejoicing.
Firstly: the stranger had demonstrated that we all choose how to react in any given situation. Secondly and most importantly, we should never underestimate the impact that our behaviors have on others.
To be sure, internalizing these two basic but unappreciated facts is a vital life skill that needs to be mastered by anyone and everyone. But certainly, these two lessons are doubly important in the context of leadership training. As Deutschendorf notes, learning to deal effectively with adversity and and the ability to carry on despite setbacks are crucial leadership skills.
And as we have seen, staying positive is essential to good leadership for another reason: leaders are in a position where they can affect the mood of many people under them.
Labels: business communication, emotional maturity, interpersonal relationships
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Sunday, May 11, 2008
Easy, Practical Way to Help Myanmar Cyclone Victims
An estimated 100,000 people have already perished, and millions made homeless, owing to the devastating cyclone that hit Myanmar, the largest country by geographical area in Southeast Asia. The sheer magnitude of the destruction is more than mind-boggling, and equally so is the enormity of the need for relief.
Several million people are in dire need of support. Things each of us often take for granted - food, fresh water, a roof over our heads - are available to only a small minority . International relief organizations are struggling to provide much needed assistance.
Two socially responsible Internet entrepreneurs have risen to the call of community support by launching the Myanmar Challenge website. The objective of the site is to increase awareness of the situation in which millions are finding themselves without so many things we take for granted. As the name indicates, the intention is to challenge you to play your part also.
And don't think that you're too insignificant, or you just don't have the means, to help. You can! Here's how you can do it:
As a private individual, you can contribute to the cause in one of three ways:
Firstly, you can make a monetary contribution, of even the smallest amount, to one of the humanitarian organizations now actively involved in the relief effort. The site provides an extensive list of organizations you can contribute to directly. And if you know of an appropriate organization that's not on the list, that's fine too! (The campaign is to raise awareness and support for the plight of the victims, not to focus on any specific institution.)
Secondly, you can make a purchase from one of the growing list of companies who themselves have taken the Myanmar Challenge! A continuously updated list is found on the site. (Perhaps you'll find a product or service you'll be spending money on anyhow.) When you buy something from them or take whatever other action required, the merchant has undertaken to make a specific donation towards the relief effort.
The third way you can help is very simple: spread the word! Phone or email your friends, many of whom may not even be aware how serious the situation is in the crisis zone, and tell them about the Myanmar Challenge. If you have a blog, a personal web page, a page on Facebook or whatever, your job will be so much easier!
This is not the kind of post I normally make on this blog, but I thought it important to bring to your attention. Whatever way you can help, please do it now!
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