October 31st, 2009
There’s been some debate recently on whether Emotional Intelligence can be classified as an actual intelligence – ie something that you have to a lesser or greater degree. Or is it a skill and a competence that can be learned and developed? We believe that emotional intelligence lies within all of us but can often be further developed through effective mentoring.
But leaving this debate and the semantics to others, we do see that emotional awareness – of oneself, and of others – is an essential ingredient in the leader’s toolkit. If we do not pay sufficient attention, then our own emotional and personal history, or perhaps the cumulative effect of the stresses and strains of everyday life, have an impact on our judgement, on our relationships with others, and our effectiveness in our leadership role.
For more insight into this area, why not read our article Keeping your head in the present
October 26th, 2009
We believe it’s important to encourage leaders to exchange and share their experiences. So we hold regular informal dinners where we invite our clients to come and engage in conversation, develop their network, and listen to other perspectives. The speaker at one of our recent dinners was the Financial Tmes columnist Stefan Stern.
He initiated a conversation on leadership – and the need for courage.
At the fundamental level this must manifest itself in the courage to guide and steer the organisation, but as the conductor of the orchestra, creating the space and place in which other people do the performing. This indeed takes courage where the leader has built their success on being a star performer. And this courage will develop out of the skill and practice of deep listening.
October 5th, 2009
HR must take the initiative
Following on from my previous post, I notice that Douglas Ready warns (from research of 40 companies worldwide) that ‘a large proportion of the HR professionals said that they were worried that the progress made in leadership development and talent management … might be wiped out as a result of excessive short-term thinking and non-strategic cost cutting‘.
He too is concerned that this is evidence that many senior executives still see talent management and leadership development as activities for ‘good times only’. He also is concerned that HR is not playing the role it should – or could – to champion the business case for ongoing leadership development for the future.
HR of course is closely involved in delivering HR services to the business. And indeed, these services are always stretched at times of change and restructuring. But just as leadership generally needs to manage the short term and the long term, so too HR Directors need to step up to the mark and deliver their equally essential mission of delivering appropriate talent for the business both today and tomorrow.
