Leadership and emotional intelligence

To succeed as a leader it is necessary to be able to modify one's behaviour. Flexibility is essential to success, particularly for managers. People may not like flexibility in the abstract but they do like what it is able to accomplish.

Conflict

Leaders are willing to engage, when necessary in conflict and confrontation. Many people believe that to get along you go along. This belief is inculcated from an early age. However, leaders have discovered that conflict will often provide you far more power than pliability.

Team spirit

While confrontation is a key to success, another key-particularly in the larger organisation, is the ability to submerge one's ego and become a team player during one's career.

Nature or genes probably contribute 50% to the development of these six factors, nurture and upbringing the remaining 50%.

The most practical model of genetic emotional drives that I know is the Humm-Wadsworth. This model says that each of us has seven core emotional drives and the mix and strength of these seven drives determines our temperament:

Each of the seven core emotional drives is associated with a simple descriptive name and the first initial is used as a short-hand.

Movers are driven by the desire to communicate. These people are friendly, sociable, enthusiastic optimists and often work in sales and marketing roles. Because of their energy Movers are sometimes erratic and impulsive. They are like grasshoppers.

Double-checkers are dominated by the desire for security. These people are compassionate and cautious. Because Double-checkers are conscientious and stable they make excellent administrators. On the other hand Double-checkers dislike making decisions and are a little like rabbits – any disturbance and they jump back into their burrows.

Artists are governed by the desire to create. These people are creative, imaginative, and sensitive. Artists often work in architects' offices or in product design. Quiet and contemplative, Artists love to give full rein to their imagination. People often think Artists are like clams, saying nothing but generating pearls.

Politicians are driven by the desire to win. They seek power and are steadfast, decisive, and forceful. Politicians often become managers in large organisations. They can be loud and argumentative. Politicians are so aggressive that they are frequently nicknamed tigers.