- In Goleman & Boyatzis (2008) article on SI and Leadership, what were the defining elements of leadership that were discussed in the article? As leaders, how can we infuse concepts described in Goleman and Boyatzis article to create an environment that promotes growth and leadership? Give examples.
In the article in question, Goleman & Boyatziz take a multi-dimensional approach to defining Socially Intelligent Leadership. They take into account the biology, psychology and the sociological dimensions in identifying methods of promoting growth and leadership among employees and managers alike. They highlight how empathy is a key component to social intelligence. Empathy is the ability to be able to put oneself in another person’s situation and see the issue from their perspective. Biologically, women tend to be gifted in this trait, which makes them more socially intelligent by nature. But men can also nurture and develop this trait through proper conditioning of their emotional circuitry. As Goleman and Boyatziz suggest, there are proven practical methods through which this can be achieved.
The socially intelligent leader will be better at understanding employee motivation, be sensitive to cultural diversity, possess a positive emotional tone, have an open mind in accepting inputs from others and encourage all team members alike. But the key to achieve this sort of leadership excellence, one has to have the appropriate emotional circuitry. But unlike IQ, social intelligence can be enhanced through systematically working on changing one’s behavior. This in turn will change attitude and perception, which in turn will begin to change the personality. This way, promoting a workplace environment that promotes growth and leadership is feasible.
- Please share a brief overview of your research project topic. In addition, tell me about where you are with your research. Have you located some foundational research studies linking your topic? What interesting information are you finding on your topic?
My research topic is titled Building High Performance Teams. In contemporary global markets, successful organizations embrace the concept of teamwork to achieve strategic goals amidst intense competition amplified by globalization. High performing teams are crucial for enhancing employee bottom-line performance level and adaptability. High performance teams consist of individuals with complementary skills who work interdependently. Team members are normally in opposition to interchange roles. Participatory leadership approach is crucial for building strong cohesive teams focused on achieving given organizational goals. Building high performance teams include establishing a diverse team, generating the team purpose, developing critical processes, sharing leadership and responsibility, fostering strong relationships, establishing effective communication, acknowledging main milestones and celebrating successes as well as reviewing and learn through experience.
Thus far, I’ve performed a literature review on the subject of High Performance Teams and was able to find sufficient material to synthesize for my research. The sources of information are varied and rich. For example, I found relevant information in books, academic management journals and popular management magazines. The authorship is quite varied – a substantial portion of them coming from Asian and European scholars – reflecting the globalized business environment of today.
- How is your Group Share group working together? What is the natural group dynamic that is emerging? How are you contributing to the group?
The Group Share is coming along nicely. The group dynamics is very smooth and efficient. Each member contributes something important for the overall project. Each of us is also open to hearing suggestions and recommendations made by others. We also help each other in covering our weak areas. While each member will have strong and weak areas in his talents and skills, we make sure that any particular task is assigned to the member most capable of finishing it. Hence a strong bond and mutual trust has developed in our group. My core contributions lie in the area of co-coordinating and organizing our meetings and work activities.