Plunder the Egyptians August 2021

Articles & Blogs
‘What People (Still) Get Wrong About Emotional Intelligence’
by Daniel Goleman
Harvard Business Review – July 26, 2021

Daniel Goleman is the EQ guru. This recent article is a great primer on the key concepts he pioneered. Not only does it clarify what is meant by EQ, but it reveals something of the complexity and value of the concept.

‘Is Your Emotional Intelligence Authentic, or Self-Serving?’
by Ron Carucci
Harvard Business Review – May 23, 2018

Navigating emotions is highly complex. The dangers of mixed motives and misunderstandings abound. Carucci exposes how we can unconsciously manipulate others, often under the guise of being emotionally intelligent. This is a great five minute read which will prompt self-reflection and even repentance! It’s good to know that some Egyptians have a strong doctrine of sin.

‘The Downsides of Being Very Emotionally Intelligent’
by Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic and Adam Yearsley
Harvard Business Review – January 12, 2017

Most of our strengths have a shadow side. This is also true for emotional intelligence. People with high EQ tend to be great at building relationships and working with others, but may lack the necessary levels of nonconformity and unconventionality to challenge the status quo. Because of their high interpersonal sensitivity, people with high EQ struggle to give negative feedback, and their cool-headedness and positivity means they also have difficulty receiving it.

Podcast
‘How to Boost Your Emotional Intelligence’ (13:54)
by Brenda Ellington Booth
Kellogg School of Management­ – Feb 10, 2021

Brenda Ellington Booth, a Clinical Professor of Leadership at Kellogg, introduces the key ideas around EQ and offers some particular applications for these ‘COVID-19 times’. For each of the four domains, she offers great examples and practical advice. While this is pretty basic stuff, it is an important reminder, especially for church leaders, of the need to understand our own emotions, and those of others, as we navigate leadership amidst crisis and volatility.

YouTube Video
‘Increase your self-awareness with one simple fix’
by Tasha Eurich
TEDx Talks– 20 Dec, 2017

This engaging, research-based TED talk by psychologist and author Dr Tasha Eurich addresses one key aspect of EQ—self-awareness. The key insight is that the approach we use for introspection is ‘totally wrong’. Thinking about ourselves is not that same as knowing ourselves. Introspecting by asking ‘Why?’ is counter-productive, trapping us in the ‘rear view mirror’. Instead, we need to ask ‘What?’.

See also this excellent article: ‘What self awareness really is and how to cultivate it’

Must Read Books
‘Dare to Lead: Brave work. Tough conversations. Whole hearts.’
by Brené Brown, Random House, 2018.

Dare to Lead is one of my absolute favourite leadership books and New York Times #1 Best Seller. With her catchphrase that ‘vulnerability is a superpower’, Brown captures the emotional aspects of servant leadership. Like the gospel itself, Brown is often counter-intuitive, reframing concepts like bravery, success and performance, and prophetically critiquing contemporary approaches to leadership. Her particular focus on tough conversations has given me an approach to engaging with colleagues which has proved invaluable, while her counsel on ego is timelier than ever.

From the Academy
The Ridley Centre for Leadership is committed to biblically based leadership that is also research-aware. Too often leadership literature is popular, faddish and anecdotal. Here we identify some quality scholarship that informs our theme.

‘Does Leadership Need Emotional Intelligence?’
Leadership Quarterly
by John Antonakis, Neal M. Ashkanasy & Marie Dasborough

This engaging debate among scholars presents both sides of this debate in the form of four ‘letters’. Drawing on a wide range of research the arguments are cogent, and will have you shifting sides each time. Where will you end up?

My own view is that it all depends on the level and type of leadership we are talking about, and on what we mean by effectiveness. This will be the subject of an academic article next year, but studies about EQ at different managerial levels indicate that EQ is most evident in middle management and declines in more senior roles. For the mega-pastor planting or leading a rapidly growing church EQ has no relationship to success. But, they may burn out many people and relationships on the way. The ‘typical’ pastor in the ‘typical’ church is more like a middle manager in terms of activities, decisions and emotional proximity. For them, EQ is vital.