Good Practice Guide #40 - Emotional Intelligence

Emotional Intelligence

Good Practice Series number 40

This is one of a series of Good Practice Guides published by the AUA. Front cover image by Flickr user Nogwater, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-ND 2.0) licence. Š AUA 2015 www.aua.ac.uk AUA National Office The University of Manchester, Sackville Street Building, Sackville Street, Manchester M60 1QD Tel: 0161 275 2063 Email: aua@aua.ac.uk

Written by James Craig

Contents

Introduction

Introduction

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Part 1: Reslience

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Part 2: Rapport

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Part 3: Refreshment

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Epilogue: Arbejdsglaede and Simplicity

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Appendix

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Bibliography

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Emotional Intelligence (EI) is the ability to understand and control our emotions so that we feel at ease with ourselves, and comfortable with others. People with EI have an even temperament and balanced self-esteem. They command trust, respect and loyalty because their behaviour is ethical and authentic. They are good listeners, well-versed with the requirements of their job, tough when required, and focused on achieving results.

They have a positive, optimistic disposition and clear personal objectives.

All sectors employ intelligent people, and Higher Education (HE) is no exception!

Intellectual prowess is the stuff of HE. Intellectual people are capable of wonderful feats which are essential for the core HE business; but have we lost sight of the true meaning of intelligence? In a basic sense, intelligence is simply the ability to adapt to one’s environment. Rational, logical and abstract thinking are important, but so too are a range of other abilities.

Even IQ tests are subject to the particular definition of intelligence devised by the more recent people who have refined the test. Although IQ tests are well-established, there remains an element of bias in terms of what they measure and the assumptions of what is and is not important, and how these are determined. There is certainly a strong correlation between high IQ and life success, but even this is not the whole story.

About the Author James Craig FAUA is currently managing a project sponsored by the Academic Health Science Network for Yorkshire and the Humber. He is based in the Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of Leeds. The work involves helping to promote the availability of anonymised primary care data from a not-for-profit organization called ResearchOne, for the benefit of clinical research. James has over 25 years’ experience at the University of Leeds in a broad range of departmental, faculty and central roles.

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In 1983, Howard Gardner identified a whole range of definitions - a multiplicity of different sorts of intelligence, featuring:       

Verbal Mathematical-logical Spatial – artistic; architectural Kinaesthetic – physical dexterity Musical Interpersonal; and Intrapersonal – inner contentment; accurate model of oneself 3

The word ‘emotion’ derives from the Latin emovere, meaning “to disturb”. The Collins Concise Dictionary defines emotion as “any strong feeling as of joy, sorrow, or fear”. An association of emotions with the running of a large, complex business like a Higher Education institution (HEI) is therefore not helpful. A more balanced view recognises that emotions do not necessarily involve strong feelings, but play a central part of our essential make-up.

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EI as a term was first coined in the 1980s. It might seem to some that the idea of EI is too much like a soft skill without any real substance or scientific foundation. Contrast this with IQ, for instance, which has been heavily researched and used quantitatively since the early twentieth century. Daniel Goleman’s 1995 book Emotional Intelligence: Why it can matter more than IQ, however, cited a wealth of research, giving EI considerable credence. Goleman established a framework covering the following five themes:

Another line of development was that of Dr Reuven Bar-On. In the mid-1980s, Bar-On devised an Emotional Quotient (EQ). This was developed into the EQ-i (Emotional Quotient Inventory). EQ-i was updated in around 2010, to the EQ-i 2. This forms the basis for Steven Stein and Howard Book’s book The EQ Edge, which analyses 16 scales of emotional intelligence. These are grouped into five sets of three and a final one:

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Knowing one’s emotions (“know thyself”).

Managing emotions (“passion’s slaves”) – self-mastery; handling anger and depression.

Motivating oneself (“the master aptitude”) - overcoming worry; developing hope and optimism.

Recognising emotions in others (“the roots of empathy”) – non-verbal sensitivity; feelings evoked in others mirrored in oneself.

Handling Relationships (“the social arts”).

Jack Mayer and Peter Salovey defined EI in 1997 as “the ability to perceive emotions, to access and generate emotions so as to assist thought, to understand emotions and emotional meanings, and to reflectively regulate emotions in ways that promote emotional and intellectual growth”.

Mayer and Salovey, in conjunction with David Caruso and Multi Health Systems, Inc (MHS), established the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso model of Emotional Intelligence (MSCEIT). The MSCEIT is based on the following four areas: 1.

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Perceiving Emotions – involves the ability to read other people’s emotions.

Facilitating Thought - using the emotions to establish mood. How we feel has a large bearing on how we think.

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Understanding Emotions – involves knowing our emotions, and understanding why we feel the way we do; and how this understanding enables us to deal with our emotions.

Managing Emotions – involves learning how to take advantage of them in order to solve problems, relate well to others and generally manage our behaviour.

Self-perception realm (self-awareness; self-regard; self-actualisation) Self-expression realm (expression; independence; assertiveness) Interpersonal realm (relationships; empathy; social responsibility) Decision-making realm (reality testing; problem-solving; impulse control) Stress-management realm (flexibility; stress tolerance; optimism) General well-being (happiness)

Together with Derek Mann, Peter Papadogiannis and Wendy Gordon, Steven Stein developed the EISA (Emotional Intelligence Skills Assessment) model with MHS, in 2010. This is a personal development tool; a method of self-assessment encompassing the key scales of perceiving emotion, managing emotion, decision-making, achieving, and influencing.

In the meantime, Bar-On also developed the ‘Model of Social and Emotional Intelligence’ (MSEI).

Yet another model, an EQ inventory geared specifically towards students in HE, was developed by Richard Boyatzis and Daniel Goleman in 2007, in association with the Hay Group. Students scale themselves in various areas, grouped into five competencies: 1.

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Self-awareness Self-management Cognitive competencies

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Relationship Management Cognitive Competencies

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Additionally, Talentsmart, co-founded by Travis Bradberry, claims to be the world’s “number one provider of emotional intelligence (EQ)”, with a range of products and tests.

Bradberry also features in the business magazine Forbes.

IQ and EQ IQ and EQ should be regarded as complementary. The challenge is to engage with EI - to learn not merely about EI as a subject matter, but to apply the principles personally. This takes IQ understanding, time, effort and commitment - in fact the sort of approach that one might see in someone who is already emotionally intelligent. So there needs to be more than a spark of IQ in the first place to understand why EI is so important and how it can help.

The Three Rs One approach to the study of EI works from the inside out; from the middle of the brain, to the wide organisation. This involves three Rs:  Resilience  Rapport  Refreshment

Part 1: Resilience In order to understand how the emotions work, it is helpful to have a basic knowledge of the brain and nervous system.

Environment Although we are born with a genetic blueprint, the environment in which we are brought up is extremely important. A brain responds far more strongly than most people realise, from birth, to love, praise, stimulation, criticism or neglect. This can have a profound effect on our lives. Intelligence develops as neural connections multiply to a greater or lesser extent in the growing brain, influenced strongly by factors such as these. IQ and emotional health can develop with loving homes, intellectual stimulation, hard work and ambition - or be stunted by a deficit of these. IQ development, however, seems to level off in the late teens, regardless of the genes and environment.

The brain continues to change after the late teens, albeit that IQ intelligence has already been established. Whatever our age, we can address our own mental health. Building EI is possible, but it takes effort. The first challenge is always to ourselves - standing back and 6

analysing entrenched thought patterns and behaviours as objectively as possible. We are blind to aspects of ourselves that others see in us. We want to improve selfawareness, have a self-view that is consistent with the views others have of us and take action to change our behaviour. See the Johari Window (Bibliography).

Neurons, Synapses and Hormones The brain’s nerve cells are called neurons, of which the average adult has around 100 billion. The neurons are not physically attached. The gap is called a synapse. Neurons carry electrical signals, but the synapses carry chemicals called neurotransmitters.

Receptors on both sides of the synapse receive and transmit these neurotransmitters.

Synapses carry either excitatory or inhibitory signals. The neurotransmitters stimulate or repress brain activity, and affect our moods. A cocktail of chemicals courses through our brains all the time, affecting how we feel throughout the day.

Certain hormones such as dopamine and norepinephrine are excitatory; they give us a ‘buzz’ and make us feel good. We become more aware and more focused. Such hormones, as well as adrenaline, are also secreted when confronted with a ‘threat’, such as an unpleasant experience or serious criticism. This creates stress. A certain level of stress is a “good thing” because it stimulates us into action and makes us more alert; but too much stress, over a long period, can be damaging.

Caffeine Although caffeine can make us more alert, excessive caffeine is not good news.

Caffeine:  Restricts dopamine absorption. This increases the risk of chronic stress which can lead to other health issues such as high blood sugar and hypertension.  Stimulates adrenaline – again, a stress hormone which is necessary and important in small doses, but not great to have too much of for long periods.  Mimics adenosine, which naturally makes us sleepy. Caffeine binds to adenosine receptors, preventing adenosine from taking hold properly. More adenosine receptors develop to compensate for the shortfall resulting from the receptors that are taken up by caffeine. This stimulates addiction, and the cycle continues. If daily caffeine is suddenly withdrawn, the brain can generate large quantities of adenosine to compensate, leading to possible withdrawal symptoms such as lethargy and irritability; and  Diminishes the quality and quantity of sleep.

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Challenge yourself to reduce or abstain from caffeine. Consume no caffeine after about 5pm, certainly. If you need to reduce your dose, do so gradually.

Avoid caffeinated ‘energy drinks’, which contain considerably more sugar or artificial sweetener than is good for us.

Sleep Two kinds of sleep are important. Deep sleep is required to consolidate our memories.

The brain is working hard during deep sleep to shunt our recent memories into a longerterm store via the hippocampus (see below). Periods of deep sleep are punctuated by ‘REM’ (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep which, whilst not as deep, is no less important. During REM, nonadrenalin is switched off. This allows us to stay calm whilst our brains re-process recent events that may have been emotional or upsetting.

Melatonin is a natural hormone made by the pineal gland. During the day, the pineal is inactive. In the middle of the evening, however, the Pineal is naturally ‘turned on’ and begins producing Melatonin. As melatonin increases, alertness reduces, and the brain prepares itself for sleep. Melatonin levels should stay high through the night and decline in the morning. However, if the evening and early night are affected by artificial light – particularly blue light – the melatonin level will remain low and the brain is tricked into staying alert for longer than might be desirable. Blue light is generated by TVs, mobile phones, tablets, PCs and similar. Switch these devices off earlier in the evening.

Challenge yourself to review your evening use of IT, including email. If you manage staff, review whether you expect them to access IT on an evening. If so, what could you do to reduce or remove this reliance? Discuss this openly with your colleagues.

Cortisol As noted above, certain hormones such as dopamine stimulate us, giving rise to necessary action - but moderation is important. Another hormone, cortisol, is also vital for certain bodily functions but, if left unchecked over long periods, can cause damage to mental and general health.

The hypothalamus, which is linked to the nervous system, maintains regulatory rhythms and deals with stressful situations that could overload the system. When faced with a threat, the Hypothalamus is activated by messages from the Amygdala (see below), and the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) Axis launches into action with the adrenal glands (atop each kidney), secreting cortisol. As cortisol accumulates, other bodily systems 8

are ‘put on hold’ until the extra energy in the system generated by the cortisol, is allowed to deal with the threat. The Hippocampus becomes less responsive. (As explained below, the hippocampus deals with memory). This, in turn, becomes less active at communicating with the Thalamus, which is a central information hub.

Whereas the thalamus would normally be involved with a reduction in Cortisol secretion, this communication channel is dulled. The HPA and adrenal glands remain active, cortisol continues to flow, and a vicious circle ensues – perpetuated by the amygdala. The HPA is then prompted into producing even more cortisol. Chronic, excessive cortisol can lead to mental impairment and neuron loss. It can also lead to various long-term general health issues, aside from mental health.

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In order to build resilience and EI, it is vital to allow the pre-frontal cortex to take more command of the amygdala by means described below. This then calms the whole HPA, and creates positive internal regulation.

Endorphins Endorphins are classed as analgesics; they help to diminish the perception of pain. Like dopamine, endorphins make us “feel good”. Endorphins also help to manage cortisol levels, which is important. Exercise and fresh air generate additional endorphins.

Build more physical exercise into daily life, such as walking or cycling to work. If you commute by train, combine it with a cycle. If you catch a bus, walk an extra bus stop or three.

At work, use the stairs instead of the lift.

Go for a brisk walk outside during lunch time.

Arrange a walking meeting instead of sitting in a stuffy room.

Glucose Glucose is the brain’s primary fuel. Glucose is converted from carbohydrate. In general, our brains benefit from a balanced diet, not one containing excessive amounts of sugar.

Start every day with a balanced breakfast - porridge with a dash of fruit or honey is excellent.

Natural fruit is fine, but there is far too much sugar in the average western diet. A balanced diet will give you all the carbohydrate (hence glucose) you need. Too much sugar risks general health.

Eating regularly benefits the brain most, so try not to starve yourself.

Pre-Frontal Cortex The neocortex is a thin membrane surrounding the brain. The pre-frontal cortex is the part of the neocortex which resides behind the forehead. Although it comprises only 5% of the brain’s volume, it is responsible for ‘thinking things through’ in the here-and -now, making calculations, planning, and executing decisions. It also processes working memory.

David Rock compares the pre-frontal cortex with a tiny stage in a large theatre. The theatre audience comprises the information from the inner world: thoughts, memories and imaginings. The theatre director may require anyone from the audience to make an appearance on stage - recalling information from the past for instance but because the stage is so tiny, it can become over-crowded. The stage also needs much ‘lighting’; a disproportionate amount of the glucose needed by the brain all the time.

Basal Ganglia The basal ganglia (plural) manage our routine functions. The routines are steps that need to happen in a particular order, like a dance sequence or computer program. The routine is stored in complex maps. The basal ganglia uses every conceivable sense to build routines which develop into these maps.

If we develop regular patterns in our everyday lives such as certain sequences in the office, this enables us to function more efficiently.

Multi-tasking is a myth or, more accurately, an illusion. The brain processes information serially, albeit at lightning speed. This is not just a matter of taking care to not overcrowd the pre-frontal cortex; it is also ensuring that the data that are fed into the pre-frontal cortex, associated with the basal ganglia, appear in the right order. If we fail to manage this correctly, blockages and queues develop, our brain’s resources become strained, and we are vulnerable to stress. If we multi-task, we risk being overloaded. It is akin to an act involving spinning plates. Even the most capable brain

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cannot hold more than about four spinning plates at once. By failing to manage our brain properly, we undermine its efficiency and our personal effectiveness. This has a knock-on effect for EI. Simple time-management techniques will help.

Organise and tidy your personal space, both physically and on your computer.

Knowing exactly where everything is, enables your basal ganglia to operate efficiently.

Concentrate on one task at a time, wherever possible. This allows you to make optimum use of your pre-frontal cortex and basal ganglia without being distracted.

Work along the grain of your natural rhythms (the most mentally-demanding tasks when we are most wide-awake and vice-versa) - but avoid caffeine consumption as a means to over-ride this (see above).

Limbic System Our emotions ‘reside’ in the limbic system. Two important parts of the limbic system are the hippocampus and the amygdala.

Hippocampus The hippocampus is involved with memory; specifically memory which can be recalled, and often from long ago. The memory per se is less important than the feelings associated with that memory. It compares current experience with the brain’s colossal memory bank, and formulates a response, and the response is often set in train before we even think about it. A memory may be associated with a ‘danger’ or a ‘reward’, and new experiences are constantly being compared to memories, usually unconsciously. A danger involves a warning that something is going to happen that we dislike, because of the association with a negative or unhappy experience or feeling in the past. The current experience might be an unpleasant situation at work. Cortisol is secreted, and we might start to feel dejected. A ‘reward’ is the opposite - certain parts of the brain associated with the positive feelings “light up”. Dopamine is released. This gives us cause to feel optimistic and confident of achieving more. Pathways in our brain are reinforced, depending on this combination of memories and current experience.

Providing and receiving positive feedback on performance at work is vital, not just because it makes us “feel better” and more highly motivated, but also because it contributes physiologically to good mental health. See also part 3.

The amygdala is involved with emotional responses. It is closely connected with arousal, which affects the nervous system and many parts of the body by manifesting itself through, for instance, hypertension, dry mouth, tensed muscles, increased perspiration and rapid shallow breathing. This is all wrapped up intricately with the HPA, and adrenaline, cortisol and norepinephrine secretion - as described above. The amygdala can spark off strong, impulsive reactions such as seething anger, intense sadness or (at the opposite end), elation.

The brain has two memory systems: one for ordinary factual ones, the other for emotionally-charged ones. The triggering mentioned above (interaction of the amygdala with the hippocampus) is ongoing, but we recall consciously the most emotionally-charged memories – both positive and negative - because of the deeper imprint on the amygdala.

Thalamus The thalamus is situated in the heart of the brain, at the top of the vertebrae. It acts as an information hub. Visual signals from the eye, are translated and sent to the visual cortex at the back of the brain. Normally the neocortex then processes the thoughts before other parts of the brain are involved, but some signals from the thalamus can leak straight to the amygdala along a sort of back alley, before the neocortex has chance. This means that an emotional response kicks in before we have time to think about it. This is called an ‘amygdala hijack’ (Goleman, 1995). We lose our temper without making a prior conscious decision to do so. ‘Road Rage’ is a classic example.

We may well not lose our temper like this all the time, but we can be susceptible to the amygdala taking the upper hand, if we do not train or allow the neocortex to take control.

Neural Static If not properly managed, the limbic system disrupts the efficient functioning of the pre -frontal cortex. This is described by Daniel Goleman as neural static. The maintenance of working memory is diminished if we allow the emotions to interfere. Emotional distress slows logical thought and dulls memory. Anxiety and depression can set in:

Rumination develops. The pre-frontal cortex becomes cluttered with chronic, regurgitated negative thinking, amply nourished by the limbic system. This diminishes our capacity for normal everyday activities, including our work.

Amygdala 12

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The amygdala’s threshold for reacting to threats becomes low, which means that a threat is perceived a great deal of the time, rather than occasionally. The body is on constant alert, thanks also to chronic high levels of cortisol.

Mindfulness Mindfulness is a discipline which focuses the mind on the here and now: immediate bodily sensations, physical touch, taste, smell or background noise. This removes us entirely from the usual things we think about.

We all have maps, networks or circuits in our brains and a so-called ‘default network’, which involves the pre-frontal cortex and hippocampus. This is an ordinary business-asusual way of thinking. We hold a narrative where ordinary events are processed through a filter, which is a level of thinking determining where we decide to place our attention.

We add our own interpretations to what we see. The world we see around us is never objective. It is always a distortion of reality. We interpret it using our own personal narrative - values, attitudes and beliefs that guide our everyday life. Our minds are busy confirming our narrative from the moment we wake in the morning.

By contrast, mindfulness opens the ‘direct experience’ network. Several regions of the brain become more active, including the insula, which is the region that relates to the perception of bodily sensations.

The narrative network and direct-experience networks are, in a sense, opposed. If we are stressed, worried or emotional, we can train ourselves, through mindfulness, to allow the direct-experience path to take over. We relax and allow our minds to divert our thoughts away from the problem, and stop worrying. Those who practise mindfulness also find it easier to activate the switch connecting the circuits between the narrative and direct experience, and know which circuit they are on; whereas those who do not, invariably default to the narrative circuit.

Mindfulness is a form of exercise, as with any exercise, regular practice is important.

Benefits include: 

Improving the brain’s structure and capacity: People who practise mindfulness, are more aware of their unconscious brains. As Daniel Siegel explains, previously undifferentiated pathways of firing become detectable and then accessible to modification. We use the focus of the mind to alter the function, and ultimately 14

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the structure and capacity of the brain itself. We develop a clearer, conscious choice as to where our attention should be directed.

Stress Control: By concentrating our thoughts in this way, we can tackle stress markedly by reducing the level of cortisol secretion, and re-balancing numerous other chemicals. This has the knock-on effect of improving memory and other aspects such as regulating blood pressure, heart rate and general well-being.

Impulse Control: Mindfulness improves impulse control. People with high levels of impulse control have the ability to think before leaping - always engaging the route between the pre-frontal cortex and thalamus first; not allowing the amygdala to take control. Mental space is allowed for weighing up alternatives and developing options so that everything is reasoned, and better decisions are far more likely.

Increasingly, large organisations offer mindfulness sessions run by trained practitioners. A complete course can be time consuming but regard it as an investment in your resilience and EI. If a local group is not available, there is a considerable amount of material online and you can practise mindfulness on your own. But locate a group or course if you can.

Other Stress-Reduction Strategies Diaphragmatic breathing exercises: Use the diaphragm to help you breathe properly and deeply in any posture, and at any time of the day.

Relax the shoulders, and allow the air to fill at the diaphragm. Try deep breathing in and out fully slowly, ten times. This can also help you nod off to sleep.

Acupressure: Squeeze the thumb and forefinger on one hand with the thumb and forefinger on the other for about five seconds. Repeat a few times.

Purposeful distraction: A Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) technique: training yourself to turn to positive thoughts or a change of scene when the brain is flooded with stressful and depressive thoughts.

Read AUA Good Practice Guide no 21 - ‘Time for Lunch’ (Jean Grier and Alison Johns) for more techniques and variations on the above.

‘Guided Imagery’ (p17), for instance, is a form of mindfulness.

Depression

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Depression has many causes. Periodic “feeling low” is normal for most people; but if a long-term blackness envelops you, do not delay and visit your GP. Prescription drugs can help re-balance your neurotransmitters; and your GP might refer you for ‘talking therapy’ such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). If there is a waiting list, maybe visit a therapist privately (see Accredited BABCP CBT and AREBT therapists - bibliography). Other ways to help combat depression are described below.

Show simple acts of kindness to others. Counter-intuitive as it may sound, feel-good hormones are activated in ourselves, when we give pleasure to others. Walk a neighbour’s dog; mow someone’s lawn; visit an elderly person or invite a friend round for a meal. Give a student the time of day; maybe someone suffering from home-sickness, struggling with the course, or feeling stressed.

Try to forgive. If you have been wronged, then holding a grudge can have a devastating effect. This spills over into your overall attitude towards other people. It can be difficult, but people who allow themselves to forgive often find a release.

Be pro-active about setting up a social activity, such as a Friday morning coffee-time doughnut rota for your office.

Record in writing, every day or two, all of your positive experiences and warm emotions. Reflect on those regularly. Read some part of your diary for, say, five minutes a day or 15 minutes a week.

Record in writing, all of your life achievements - anything ranging from Alevel results, to a happy memory at Cubs or Brownies. Again, reflect on those from time to time.

Occupy yourself with activities you know you can enjoy, which cam divert your mind from negativity. See Appendix.

Depression is re-visited in part 3 in the context of managers’ approaches to mental illness, and institutional recognition of this ‘elephant in the room’.

Self-Esteem We all have faults, but we need a balanced self-esteem where we have a view of ourselves that is consistent with the way others see us.

Under mindfulness, we noted that we all have a map of the world; a default narrative network. A perpetual cycle develops. Our core beliefs are based on a ruminating negative, non-stop self-narrative along the lines of “I am bad; worthless; stupid…”. This self-talk narrative dictates our personal ‘rules for living’: guidelines and personal strategies for surviving every day. Someone’s rule for living might include the following 16

internal narrative: “if I say what I think, I will always be rejected”; or “unless I am perfect, I will achieve nothing.” These are corrosive patterns of thought which can be reversed.

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What are termed ‘trigger situations’ then break, or potentially break, these rules for living.

Such might include some specific event at work where we are made to feel useless; being criticised over something; the prospect of failure; or panicking about running out of time.

Negative core beliefs are re-activated. With those, negative predictions recur. People with low self-esteem fear the worst. They deliberately avoid situations for fear of failing, take unnecessary precautions, and discount success as fluke. Negative self-narrative perpetuates (“I knew it; I really am worthless/stupid”). A self-critical narrative continues to flourish. Cortisol accumulates, the cycle goes on and on, and depression can set in.

List your personal bad habits, and decide how you will tackle them, one by one.

Avoid mixing with certain colleagues - socially at least - if you know you will be dragged into gossip, time-wasting and unproductive behaviour.

Reward yourself with something immediate when you succeed at avoiding a bad habit.

Involve others: tell them what you are doing, and ask them to encourage you if you succeed with something tangible.

The cycle can be broken. Ideally, CBT, involving a one-to-one counsellor, can help.

Meanwhile, read Melanie Fennell, or free material of the Australian Centre for Clinical Interventions (see bibliography). Challenging assumptions, learning to be objective about negative predictions, and modifying the rules that govern our lives, are key to tackling low self-esteem.

Personal Problem Solving People displaying high EI are not only skilled at self-motivation, but also effective at problem-solving. Again, these go together: equanimity, self-confidence and dealing with negativity are all important ground rules for self-motivation and if we have a positive selfmotivated mindset, we are more likely to want to solve problems.

Moving from Negative to Positive The building of personal resilience in the sense of tackling negative issues, such as stress and depression, can now be re-focused in a positive sense to develop EI. The following topics are inter-related: Self-Motivation We make a conscious decision to do something, preferably something we enjoy. If we enjoy an activity, we are more likely to succeed, and that success will breed more motivation and rewards.

Start by breaking bad habits. Dopamine is released when we do something enjoyable.

Dopamine activates the brain’s reward centre, and the activity becomes increasingly attractive and repetitive, and the habit is maintained. The key to self-motivation in a professional capacity is to enjoy our jobs so much that we don’t need bad habits to provide us with a separate dopamine rush. That may also require a refreshment of strategy from those in Leadership and Management (see part 3).

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Read AUA Good Practice Guide no 22: ‘Problems? No Problem!’ – (John Doidge and Celia Whitchurch).

Optimism and Happiness Optimism and Happiness are two components of EQ-i and EQ-i 2. Optimism involves a positive attitude and “comprehensive but realistic approach to daily living.” (Stein and Book). Happiness involves not only feeling satisfied, but also relaxing in the presence of others and with a capacity to enjoy life. Happiness at the organisational level is discussed in part 3; in the meantime, on an individual basis: Remember your childhood. What activities gave you great pleasure and many hours’ fun? Your childhood can be a real give-away as to where your real, inner passions lie. Can you take them up again?

Be kind to people, starting off in simple ways - as mentioned above.

Focus on the short term as a means of concentrating, eventually, on long-term goals. Set yourself short-term, realistic objectives or quick fixes and record your achievements in writing. Review those regularly.

Play your part in helping to create a happy climate at work. See part 3.

Creativity People with high EI, are often creative, but for reasons that may not seem obvious. As explained above, over-crowding the Pre-Frontal Cortex and Basal Ganglia is not desirable.

We can do ourselves a favour by managing our time systematically and 19 creating an orderly physical environment. Paradoxically, however, this sort of

approach may affect creativity which can be closely connected with the emotions; hence with EI. Scott Kaufman, also citing work by Roger Beaty and Eddie Harmon-Jones, suggests that creative people have greater connections between two areas of the brain that are typically at odds - the network of regions associated with focus and attentional control, and those associated with imagination and spontaneity. The entire creative process involves states of inspiration as well as states of calm, rational focus. Creative people mix seemingly incompatible states of being, depending on the task, whether it is open attention with a focused drive, mindfulness with daydreaming, intuition with reality, intense rebelliousness with respect for tradition, and so on.

Living life with passion and intensity is more important. The simultaneous experience of positive and negative emotions - or mixed emotions - can unlock creativity. Unusual environments, relationships and associations can all help. It is interesting that it is common for the most creative people in the world to suffer from bouts of depression.

Self Actualisation This, another of the EQ-i and EQi-2 measures, involves a combination of selfmotivation, creativity, happiness and optimism. Self-actualisation means the ability to realise one’s potential. It concerns a determination to achieve what we can, both at work and in leisure time. People with high EI know what they want, and how to pursue it. The route to self-actualisation involves the points raised above, and focuses on our leisure time.

Make a plan. “As from next month, I am going to:- join a local cycling club or pottery class; seek an online date; start learning German; begin clarinet lessons from scratch; help to fundraise at my child’s primary school…”

Part 2: Rapport

Listening to Ignore Pretending to Listen Listening Selectively Active Listening Empathic Listening Rapport Empathy is a central and often quoted EI skill. Empathy allows us to see the world from another person’s perspective. This can enable an adversarial relationship to become collaborative. Even if there are disagreements and conflict, being able to see a situation from the perspective of the other person always helps.

Empathy, as a means to build rapport, is a competency which can be acquired and developed by most people. Rapport goes further than empathy. Rapport is “the ability to connect with others in a way that creates a climate of trust and understanding” (Sue Knight).

Active Listening Listening involves not only hearing what is being said “right now”, but also engaging our minds fully with the content and not allowing ourselves to be distracted. This should involve intense concentration. If done properly, active listening should make our brains feel tired, akin to muscles feeling tired after a physical work-out.

Active Speaking Rapport and empathy involve not only the listener, but also the speaker. If we agree that the sender of a message in any given instance of communication is as important as the receiver, the first emphasis is on the sender. There is often a tendency to blame the listener, by default: “I told you that earlier: why weren’t you listening?” True - the listener may have been at fault for not listening properly. Alternatively (and it could be a combination), he or she may have been trying to listen really hard, but struggling to understand the message. Possible reasons are many, including talking too fast.

People’s brains process words at different speeds. If you are talking to someone, do not assume that the other person will assimilate what you say, as soon as you say it.

We are social creatures, not least at work and EI is concerned with active listening.

There exists a spectrum of listening styles:

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Of course, during a normal conversation, the speaker and listener are constantly switching roles, so there is a dynamic. This dynamic is affected by many factors. Some of these relate to the basic ways in which our brains function, and to filters.

people focus on touch or smell. They like to concentrate on the smell of coffee!

(See Sue Knight – bibliography). None of us is pigeonholed exclusively in one of these – we are all of a mix – but each of us has a preference.

Filters As noted under ‘mindfulness’, we hold an internal narrative. This concerns our so-called ‘core beliefs’; the fundamental way in which we view the world and ourselves with the values and attitudes that go along with those views. Ordinary events are processed through a filter, which is a level of thinking, determining where we decide to place our attention. One person’s filter is not ‘correct’ or ‘better’ than another person’s filter - just different.

People with similar filters often “get on well” from the outset, but not necessarily.

People with different sets of filters can and do gel too, of course; but sometimes the relationship needs work. Too many people with the same filter can be detrimental to the running of a project. What would be the point of having a project run solely by ‘big chunk’ people? No-one would be there to point out the detail, not to mention a host of difficulties that would be associated with that detail!

In a related sense, we have numerous filters. If two people have different filters, then the chances of rapport and empathic listening, might be reduced. If therefore we want to develop rapport, it is useful to try to develop flexibility - adapting our style to suit the filters of the other person.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Towards/Away-from: Some people think towards a goal and can see themselves succeeding before they start. Others think of the obstacles that may be in the way, from the outset.

Big Chunk/Small Chunk: Some people pay attention to the detail, others to the ‘bigger picture’.

Match/Mismatch: Some people, when meeting another for the first time, look instinctively at the way in which the other person is the same as them; others look out for differences.

Past/Present/Future: Different people focus more on the past, present or future, than others with whom they are communicating.

Gender: It is easy to generalise, but women are often better than men at ‘reading’ social situations, and are more intuitive.

Internal/External: Some people are internally focused; others are energised by being with other people. See the section on introverts and extroverts (part 3).

Generation: In the UK workplace in 2015, there are the ‘baby boomers’ (born between 1946 and 1964), ‘generation x’ (1965 and 1976) and ‘millennials’ (1977 to the early 2000s). These are approximations, of course. Younger people have a very different outlook, and technology plays a particularly important role.

Visual/Auditory/Feeling: Each of us has a bias towards one of three styles of ‘language’ over the other two. Visual people think in pictures and develop mental images such as a cup of coffee. Auditory people think in sounds - they prefer radio to the television, and focus on the sound of a coffee machine. Feeling 22

Non-Verbal Cues 1.

Body Language: Albert Mehrabian found that non-verbal signals far outweigh the content of what is actually said. We can train ourselves to recognise, to an extent:    

Whether the other person has understood what we are saying.

Whether we have touched the person in terms of his or her motivation.

Whether we have read correctly, the culture of the other person.

Whether it is appropriate to end the conversation.

It is easy to say that there are common signals; for instance, that crossed arms indicate “I don’t want to talk”. Such generalisations can be misleading, however, because we are all different.

2.

Distraction Awareness: Awareness of noise interference or a sense that others in the vicinity might be eavesdropping, and so on, can affect communication.

The person to whom we are speaking may have a strong auditory bias, for instance. This means that he or she will be tuned in to the whine of a vacuum cleaner which, to you, is immaterial. Be sensitive to such interference, and move away.

3.

Attentional Blink: A few words, or even a whole sentence or more, can be lost entirely to the listener if a visual distraction occurs, such as someone walking into the room. Again, be sensitive that the person to whom you are speaking with might have missed part of your message. (Attentional blink is far more common in people who are chronically stressed or depressed, where a visual 23

cue can easily invoke rumination, clogging up the Pre-Frontal Cortex. See part 1 ‘Neural Static’).

4.

Matching: Concentrating solely on the other person involves not only listening to what is being said, but also identifying the non-verbal cues: body language, voice and breathing. People who have good rapport often match each other in terms of the speech patterns, rhythms of movement, laughing together, posture, and language content. A subtle matching of their behaviour and body language creates a subconscious bond which smooths the way.

In the context of spouse relations (and one imagines this to be applicable in any context), Daniel Goleman explains how matching and emotional empathy go hand in hand:

Verbal Content Aside from the non-verbal aspects, there is a range of other ways in which to develop empathy and rapport, including:  



“When the emotional brain is driving the body with a strong reaction – the heat of anger, say – there can be little or no empathy. Empathy requires enough calm and receptivity so that the subtle signals of feeling from another person can be received and mimicked by one’s own emotional brain”. 

    5.

Consciously at first - sub-consciously with practice - we match the other person: Posture: leg-crossing or not, weight distribution, positions of the arms and hands, inclination of the head.

Expression: direction of look, eye contact.

‘Language’: visual, auditory, feelings.

Breathing patterns: rate, depth of breathing.

First Impressions: When meeting someone for the first time, a positive impression is useful. A relaxed, professional demeanour is key:

Using small talk. This is a useful ice-breaker when meeting someone for the first time; but move on swiftly to business.

Demonstrating an interest in others’ interests. Sport, current affairs and children are common areas, but avoid strained conversations with people who are not interested. Some people find sport tedious. This is not necessarily ‘small talk’ in the sense of “I was held up for two hours on the M62”, or “tomorrow is going to be wet” – it is meatier and more important than that because it shows interest in the other person as a person.

Asking ‘open questions’. Start with ‘how’, ‘where’ and ‘when’. Or ‘tell me about…’ Closed questions (‘can I meet you today?’ for instance), are useful as a means of eliciting an immediate response and tend to be functional. Probing questions (‘why…?’), after a closed question, should be used with caution, and can seem invasive.

Reflecting back. Feed back to the other person; the nub of what is being said, as a means of (a) consolidating it in your own mind; (b) demonstrating that you are listening; and (c) giving an opportunity to be corrected if necessary. It also creates an air of professionalism; and even if you disagree over something, that added degree of confidence between you will contribute to rapport. “So you are saying, essentially, that the MSc numbers in xyz will have to increase by at least 15% if the programme is to be sustainable - 50:50 home/overseas as now - but you doubt that can happen unless I appoint another Marketing Assistant who can also help to develop the Impact programme”. The response is either “yes, that is correct”; or “no, not quite, because….” And then it is clear.

Telephones  Don’t shout.  Announce, in neutral terms, who you are and the name of your organisation, slowly and clearly.  Announce the purpose of the call in brief.  If someone phones to complain, build empathy immediately by letting the person know that you understand their point of view: “I am sorry to hear you have been let down”. Acknowledge the feelings of the person, without taking sides.

Smart dress sense; natural smile; eye contact; animated disposition; Effort to remember the other’s name and use it subsequently; Positive hand movements; not fidgeting; Matching behaviour – as above; Light-touch, slightly self-effacing humour if something goes wrong - for instance when not being able to remember a name; or finding yourself making a basic mistake during a presentation or job interview.

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

Over-empathising, however, could cause issues at a later stage if the complaint becomes formal. Ask open questions: “Tell me what happened?” “When was this?” Allow callers to offload their feelings without interrupting. Stay calm and focused.

Make a written note of the conversation, including time and date.

Assertiveness “Assertiveness comprises three basic components: (1) the ability to express feeling; (2) the ability to express beliefs and thoughts openly (being able to voice opinions, disagree, and take a definite stand, even if it is emotionally difficult to do so and even if you have something to lose by doing so); and (3) the ability to stand up for personal rights (not allowing others to bother you or take advantage of you)” Stein and Book.

Assertiveness always strikes a balance:  Aggression is abrasive, hostile, bullying and over-bearing.  Passive-aggressiveness is not helpful either: refusing to do certain tasks, or refusing to comply with certain demands without being explicitly hostile.  Submissive behaviour involves yielding to someone else’s preferences while discounting your own rights and needs.  Assertiveness, on the other hand, is concerned to achieve what someone wants while, at the same time, preserving the dignity of other people.

Assertiveness tips: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Have specific objectives – write these down, and keep them simple.

Know what you can achieve – others have rights and concerns as well, and these need to be respected.

Stick to what you believe – restate your case calmly.

Do not be pressured – few matters require immediate resolution.

Do not defend the indefensible – if concerns and criticisms highlighted by another party are legitimate, they need to be embraced.

Work towards a compromise if necessary. If the other party is being assertive too, a compromise will be necessary rather than trying (and failing) to persuade them to acknowledge that you are correct.

Say “no” if you have to. Being able to say “no”, and back it up with adequate reasons, is empowering.

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Dealing with Difficult People The phrase “dealing with difficult people” is rather unfortunate since it carries a connotation that the one being “difficult” is the other party, and not oneself. The word “dealing” also has a slightly confrontational edge to it, which is not always helpful. The focus should be on the behaviour, and not the person. It is easy to label someone as difficult without first pausing for thought and realising that he or she, too, might have issues, concerns, and an approach to a given situation which you may not have taken on board. The person being difficult might also be suffering from stress, anxiety or depression.

A difficult person often has legitimate concerns about something that is fundamental to the way a department or Institution is run. Take the trouble to listen. People who are passive and easy-going can be more of a liability (not less), in the sense that they do not have the courage or imagination to challenge you where you might need to be challenged. This theme is re-visited in part 3.

Of course, the behaviour of the difficult person could well be causing disruption and low morale amongst colleagues, in which case ‘functional fluidity’ is a useful technique to adopt.

Functional Fluency When dealing with difficult people, every situation is subjective. There is never an objective ‘self’ when talking to others. Our behaviour and values are wrapped up with the behaviour and values of the person to whom we are talking. Similarly, other people’s behaviour is affected by us and how we behave towards them.

Functional Fluidity is one technique for difficult conversations. See Appendix (link to functionalfluidity.com). At the heart is ‘Accounting’. This involves analysing objectively; a given situation without allowing yourself to be dragged into a negative reaction. It is helpful to see the problem from three points of view: your own perspective, the perspective of the “difficult person” and the perspective of a third person. A third person might not be present, but picture how an independent observer would view your conversation.

The trick is to avoid negative modes of behaviour, and try to talk positively to the other person, even if he or she is being negative.

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Writing  Telephone, or pay someone a visit instead of writing an email, if possible. This can save time. There are far too many emails and everyone knows that.  Keep business reports brief (two sides of A4 maximum) with succinct paragraphs, short sentences and logical sequence. Have a two or three line executive summary at the top. A financial summary can be very brief too, with detail elsewhere online if required. Include a summary risk assessment and concise recommendations.  Copy-in email on the basis of “must know”, rather than the sense of announcing to everyone on your ‘cc’ list, that you are merely doing your job.  Avoid jargon unless your recipient is familiar with it.  Use an active rather than a passive style. The noun precedes the verb rather than vice versa.  If responding to a complaint, add that you recognise why a person might be feeling the way they do. Apologise if you have made a genuine error and offer to rectify it.  With so much time pressure, there is a temptation to make messages over-brief and to the recipient, possibly abrupt or cryptic. If you know the person well, then fine - but going to the trouble of constructing proper prose, with correct punctuation, is generally appreciated. If you “don’t have time for that”, learn to touch-type.  Never write anything you would not wish to hear read out in a Court of Law. Ask a colleague or friend unconnected with the subject matter to read through sensitive material before sending it.  If responding to a message you find difficult or explosive, sleep on it - literally. Do not allow the amygdala to take the upper hand. “Shooting from the hip” is never a good idea.

Part 3: Refreshment (The term ‘C-Suite’ – private sector jargon for the collection of Chief Officers or Directors - is used in this Guide for convenience. In an HEI, it is taken to mean the Vice-Chancellor’s Executive Team or equivalent).

Arbejdsglaede 28

Practising EI from the C-Suite down, should be a vital component of strategy, permeating the organisation’s values and mission statement and affecting everyone.

This means having practical policies which are centred on people, with the effect of making a given HEI a great place to work. In Denmark, they have one word for this: Arbejdsglaede, which means literally ‘happiness at work’. At the heart of Arbejdsglade lies staff wellbeing.

This starts with the C-Suite, and strategy refreshment. Many Universities have the following sorts of statements written into their strategies: “Recruiting and retaining world class academic staff”; “valuing our staff highly”; “investing in our staff”; and so on.

The extent to which staff are valued truly in accordance with these bold and grand statements probably varies across the sector.

EQ at the C-Suite Travis Bradberry, using data from Talentsmart, presents varying staff EQ levels for different levels of seniority in a YouTube video (see bibliography). The highest EQ levels are amongst staff in middle management positions; but the EQ levels tail off spectacularly towards the C-Suite. He suggests that although people skills are evident in supervisory and management positions, at a very senior level, people become increasingly fixed on short-term goals and metrics. He bemoans the fact that senior executives are “no longer reinforcing the important behaviours” of those in the middle hierarchies. This has massive implications for the way organisations are run. Is it any wonder that so many organisations are not happy places?

How successfully does this presentation, given to a private sector audience, translate into your Institution?

Relations with Academic Staff As managers and administrators, our job is to service the sector. This involves toplevel professionals being in C-Suite positions, on an equal footing; but ultimately, the academic staff earn the income and “run the show”.

The starting point with engendering a greater awareness and practice of EI in the Institution and promoting Arbejdsglade is therefore to develop effective working relationships with academic staff. Note the 15 recommendations in relation to 29

Professional, Managerial and Administrative (PMA) staff, set out by David Duncan.

These are as follows: 1.

2.

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Attract the best and brightest into PMA roles.

Give them a clear sense of career progression.

Break down barriers between Academics and PMA staff (a “shared endeavour”).

Make sure that the PMA staff have a clear understanding of what their role is.

Make sure that all staff understand the University’s strategy and sense of direction.

Make sure that PMA staff remain focused on the University’s core academic purpose - “The academic staff are our front-line troops and everyone else – including the vice-chancellor – is there to support them.”

Challenge every member of staff to help to enhance the student experience.

Frequently remind staff not to become prisoners of bureaucracy.

Give staff the scope to be innovative and creative.

Manage by guiding and supporting.

Take a ‘One University’ approach to support. Staff should “feel they are part of a common whole”.

Break down barriers between professional silos. “…[breaking down barriers] by working across functions, or better still, to make sure they are never erected in the first place”.

Create teams of mixed ages, genders and personality types.

Encourage and promote professional development networks, further study and visits to other institutions.

Take a rigorous approach to performance review and appraisal.

A straightforward way to develop rapport with academic staff is to befriend them. Show a genuine interest in their field of study, as well as striking up common ground - be it the weekend’s football results or Primary School children. Read books; attend events; go along to lectures. One of the perks of working in HE is that many of us have brilliant opportunities like this. Many academic staff are really pleased when lay colleagues show an interest in their work. This is EI in action.

Read the May 2015 ‘Time Higher Education’ article by Laurie Taylor with Simeon Underwood: ‘Academics v Administrators’ (link in Bibliography). Why “versus” in the title? Are relations really that adversarial? What can you do, in your particular job, to diminish the “versus”?

Friendliness can take some of the sting out of a difficult conversation. For instance, when explaining to Professor X why the credits (hence money) associated with her module cannot appear on the books of such-and-such department, but elsewhere that she does not like. Professor X might also be denied the opportunity to purchase a favourite brand of expensive equipment for particular legal and economic reasons and this might not go down well. But having that personal rapport developed through a friendly, intelligent enquiring mind and face-to-face meetings, is always useful.

Leadership and Management Generally Practical use of EI can be seen to apply across all areas of Leadership and Management: 1 Communication 2 Substance over Style 3 Motivating your team 4 Decision-Making (1) Communication David Dunbar provides a concerning account of the failure of communications in HEIs quoting the Times Higher Education’s ‘Best University Workplace Survey’ (2013) which showed that 37% of staff “feel unable to make their voice heard”. Dunbar defines various terms:  

“Make a conscious point of seeing Academics face-to-face. Visit them in their own offices, rather than expecting them to come to yours. This is about writing less and talking more, establishing personal relationships with individual Academics, on their terms and in their environment” – Simeon Underwood (see box below) 30



Manners: “a person’s outward bearing; polite way of behaving towards others”; Politeness: “having or showing behaviour that is respectful and considerate of other people” Management manners: logically: “managers’ outward bearing or respectfulness and consideration towards those for whom they are responsible and with whom they interact in the course of their work” 31

Good communication, explains Dunbar, involves “openness, honesty, fairness and transparency, empathy, modesty, co-operation and consistency, i.e. those with personcentred characteristics which are evident or not with those of whom we are interdependent for task completion ….. [these may be grouped together] under the broad term ‘management manners’“.

4.

if you run a large department, remember their names and greet them.

Engender humour, but do so sensitively and without belittling others.

Hold Regular Performance Reviews. In addition to having a formal annual review, try to introduce an informal monthly or bi-monthly review with your colleagues. If listening skills, trust, respect, honesty and non-threatening behaviour are your hallmark, most staff will feel comfortable about that.

Dirty your hands. Spending time performing what members of your team do every day or at least showing that you are capable of doing said task, if needed.

Kathy Fowler sets out a set of considerations for consultation as an essential strategic process:

5.

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(3) Motivating your Team Managers who demonstrate EI recognise that there is no single formula for motivating their staff, because we are all different. Motivation theories abound; but the starting point is always praise. In part 1, the role of the Limbic System was outlined. The importance of the non-stop interplay between the Hippocampus, amygdala, thalamus hand pre-frontal cortex, together with the constantly changing cocktail of Neurotransmitters, cannot be over-stated. Each of us responds in a different way, but positive performance feedback reinforces (‘lightens up’) the established paths in the brain that are associated with feeling good. This stimulates us into demonstrating behaviour that will improve our performance, strengthen our confidence, and seek out further positive feedback. Negative feedback – or perception of negative feedback through strained silence for example – will achieve the opposite, with its associated cortisol and other stress-related processes.

     

Are messages developed in a way that ensures that the audience can understand clearly?

Does what we say match with our plans and objectives?

Do we make sure that we are open and honest about what we are and what we are thinking?

Do we listen as well as talk?

Are we prepared to accept criticism and act on suggestions, and if we aren’t able to do the latter, do we explain why?

Do I give regular praise and feedback?

Do I show concern for my team, especially if they have additional loads or stresses?

(2) Substance over Style All the finest leaders and managers display high EI. This is not necessarily related to dynamic people who have charm and charisma; but quiet confidence, integrity and fairness.

1.

2.

3.

Know your values: Have a clear idea about where you will not compromise. Have a personal code of ethics. Decide what your particular brand of management is, including a fundamental sense of what is right and wrong, what is acceptable behaviour and what is not. Read Michelle Gander (2014). Make colleagues aware of your brand.

Admitting to your own mistakes, and facing the consequences. Others will respect you. Of course, apologising too often is probably not wise. A manager, however, who does not own up to something that is clearly his or her fault, will not attract much respect.

Spend time conversing with the members of your team. Whatever your brand, develop eye contact; smile; stop and talk to your colleagues in the corridor. Even 32

Praise needs to be genuine and related to specific achievements. Positive feedback that seems glib, repetitive or patronising can have the opposite effect.

Under-performance needs to be tackled too, but in a positive, constructive way. There must always be something positive to say, even if there is an underlying issue of poor performance.

Stress and Mental Health – Challenge to the C-Suite The mental health charity Mind describes mental illness in the workplace, as an “elephant in the room”. A C-Suite acknowledgment of mental health issues needs to be transparent in the strategy, and reference made to these and how to deal with affected staff.

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“Large employers should prioritise employee mental health as a boardroom issue – on a par with physical health; this should include regular monitoring of progress or issues by senior leadership, reporting back to the board…” Mind Read the excellent free online resources from Mind; and a CIPD podcast is also worth listening to (bibliography).

Stress and Mental Health – Managers’ Responsibilities From a manager’s perspective, depression in colleagues, together with other conditions such as anxiety or stress, can affect performance profoundly, together with the output and morale of the entire team.

 

Reality Testing and Reflexivity Effective decision-making in a group situation starts with the EQ-i2 measure called ‘reality testing’. This is the ability to see a situation objectively or the ‘as-is’, rather than the way you interpret them.

“The emphasis is on pragmatism, objectivity, the adequacy of your perception, and authentication of your ideas and thoughts” Stein and Book.

Look out for changes in behaviour (Grier and Johns, 1998):  

physically damaged. Although IQ was retained - these patients were often highly intelligent - their decision-making had become deeply flawed. Why? They had lost access to their emotional learning. The neocortex was no longer capable of interacting with the emotional reactions that had coloured it in the past from the amygdala and hippocampus, and everything took on a grey neutrality.

Stress symptoms Change in social behaviour – shunning the office lunch or avoiding the coffee break routine.

Absenteeism – especially on Fridays or Mondays.

‘Presenteeism’ – An inability to leave work, take a lunch break or take holidays.

Even mild stress can affect performance; and having hundreds or even thousands of staff in a given HEI whose performance is not tip-top, because of stress, affects all of those people individually. It also affects the Institution’s overall performance and that, in a sense, drags all staff down just a little bit.

With regard to depression, if a ‘good manager’ has made the effort to get to know a colleague, he or she will know how to provide appropriate support, or signpost to someone who can. Apart from the effort that may need to go into helping someone and at the same time, ensuring that the department or team delivers good performance, the person will need supporting on a personal basis, or encouraged to attend counselling.

The colleague needs to be encouraged to see his or her GP. The team may well need supporting too, since more work needs to be distributed to each person.

(4) Decision-Making Decision-making with EI, involves the emotions at the core. The limbic system plays an important role, together with the neocortex. If we buy into the idea that emotions are risky or not to be encouraged in the workplace, and should be supressed, then that is faulty. Antonio Damasio analysed patients whose pre-frontal-amygdala circuit was 34

Reflexivity and reality testing go hand in hand. Reflexivity is well worth exercising when engaged with large-scale change management projects of the sort where the CSuite is involved, and where the communication aspects (as described above) are so important to get right. Reflecting on how a project has gone can inform the decisionmaking processes for future projects. It is an attitude of mind which is open to learning.

Change Management As Rachel Birds explains, there exist many change management models, but it is important for managers to reflect on the values and cultures of their particular circumstances: cultural specifics of academia and its underlying values: “An intelligent, critical and, most crucially, well-informed analysis of the people involved and their reactions and emotions is required. In recognising some of the difficulties encountered by staff, the manager is not only encouraged to empathise but also to self-analyse and appreciate where their own hopes and fears may align with of differentiate from those of ‘the managed’.”

Personal Branding Personal reflection and reflective practice, including 360-degree feedback mechanisms, are also important elements of personal branding (Gander, 2014).

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fair to say that there is a spectrum. We all have a natural bias towards one end or the other.

It is useful, in an open and honest working environment, for a manager to ask his or her colleagues, what they really think about/thought about a particular project. An annual away-day can help - a day for all staff in an office regardless of grade. Arrange one for your department. Set an agenda where people can say what they like “within the four walls” and without fear of ridicule. Scepticism may well hover. That is less likely to matter if (a) there is a serious resolve to take on board people’s views in making decisions that will affect them directly; and (b) there is a genuine desire, by middle managers and the C-Suite, to embrace EI.

Susan Cain’s bestseller ‘Quiet’ is highly recommended. Cain presents a compendium of insights into introversion, supported by compelling research; and dispels various myths. Arising from ‘Quiet’, the following are useful tips in an EI context: 1.

Groupthink “The most dangerous board member is not the sceptic; it is the one who passively nods through the proposals without pointing out risks: the zombie …. It is up to board members to challenge decisions, highlight risks and offer alternatives.” (Lady Barbara Judge) In part 2, reference was made to difficult people as worth being listened to properly.

Sometimes (not always) these can be deep or creative thinkers who see problems and opportunities which pass most colleagues by.

Groupthink can be a destructive force at the C-Suite and at any level. Staff surround themselves with like-minded people who are afraid of delivering bad news. Or they might convince themselves into thinking that what the committee or board decide must be correct. There may or may not be a deep-down sense of unease; and even if there is, it is not articulated. To a neutral observer, it might seem obvious that a particular decision that is being made, is completely wrong.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

A culture of challenge therefore needs to be engendered. A good manager displaying EI, as well as reflecting, will be happy to be challenged, and challenged hard. This is far more likely to happen in a climate of Arbejdsglaede where acceptance and openness are widespread. Likewise, an effective manager will not surround him or herself with likeminded people who he knows will go along easily, but appoint people with different ‘filters’ (part 2) and who are rich in assertiveness skills. They will, if necessary, make life uncomfortable for a while.

Introverts and Extroverts Introverts gain their energy from spending time alone. Extroverts gain their energy from being in the company of people. There is debate about these labels, and it is probably 36

Celebrate diversity. Recognise that the world (and your team) would be an unbearable place if we were all extroverts or all introverts.

Tune into whether each of your colleagues is an introvert or extrovert. Small talk may be fine as a way of entering a conversation, but move on quickly to the substance.

Do not confuse shyness with introversion. Shyness may be related to feelings of low self-esteem and other dysfunctional issues. Shyness is unhelpful - even extroverts can feel thwarted from expressing their deeply-held views if they are shy, and feel uneasy in the company of others.

If holding regular meetings with a mix of colleagues, allow introverts their say in a measure that is at least equal to that of the extroverts. Make a point of bringing them in.

Allow people “space” at work. Give them thinking time and private space. If you have any influence, seek out individual offices (or for twos maybe), with generous communal areas.

Be wary of brainstorming in groups. Results are often better when individuals are encouraged to think for themselves, and pool their ideas later. Cain cites research to support this.

Do not rush introverts into making decisions. Likewise, encourage extroverts to hold back occasionally if they feel buzz. Ask them to check themselves in order to rationalise their thoughts and assess the risk; but do so in a positive, encouraging way.

Epilogue: Arbejdsglaede and Simplicity Empathy at an institutional level recognises that a happy workforce is a productive workforce, and the C-Suite would do well to simplify the business as far as possible.

Note especially: 

Bradberry’s presentation cited at the beginning of part 3.

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

The Mind and CIPD material on mental health (Bibliography).

Bibliography

Developing lean processes is, of course, a massive challenge; but with so many external demands and pressures from government, outside agencies, customers and other stakeholders, why “make a rod for your own backs”, internally, within your HEI? Large private sector businesses are also complex operations with many demands.

Leading business executive Allan Leighton writes: “I am a great advocate of simplicity. If you cut to the chase and isolate what it is your organisation is meant to do, what it does well and what it wants to achieve, then great, focused decisions will follow. Always ask yourself what your company is. Answering this question in one sentence is a discipline that will keep you on track and the business focused on what it is – and will also act as a filter to stop programmes that are about what the business isn’t” Is the above quote a pipe dream in the HE sector? Is it a pipe dream in your Institution?

Online: Bradbury, T (2015) Are you emotionally intelligent? Here’s how to know for sure. In Forbes.com, June 2015 http://www.forbes.com/sites/travisbradberry/2015/06/02/are-you-emotionallyintelligent-heres-how-to-know-for-sure/ Bradbury, T (2015) YouTube recording of a presentation to business executives in which EQ variations at various different levels of organisations, are graphically illustrated: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMRFTgvScVY Centre for Clinical Interventions (CCI) - A free Australian resource full of excellent information, workbooks etc: http://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/ CIPD (2015) Promoting and Supporting Good Mental Health. Podcast with written transcript. http://www.cipd.co.uk/hr-resources/podcasts/106-mental-health.aspx

Appendix Spare Time Activities 1.

Join a choir. Nearly everyone can sing, and a choir is a great way to make new friends. http://www.rcm.ac.uk/about/news/all/singingisgoodforyou.aspx 2.

Music generally, is beneficial. See, for instance: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12135590 3.

Start drawing or painting. http://www.theguardian.com/culture-professionals-network/cultureprofessionals-blog/2014/may/29/drawing-needs-to-be-curriculum-essentialeducation?CMP=share_btn_fb 4.

Join a sports club where the social side is well-developed and mixed abilities are welcome.

EQ and EI Materials online MHS (Multi-Health Systems Inc) Resources: EISA: http://www.mhs.com/product.aspx?gr=io&prod=eisa&id=overview MSCEIT: http://www.mhs.com/product.aspx?gr=io&id=overview&prod=msceit ESI (Bar-On Model of Social and Emotional Intelligence): http://www.eiconsortium.org/reprints/bar-on_model_of_emotionalsocial_intelligence.htm Travis Bradberry: Forbes.com: http://www.forbes.com/forbes/welcome/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/travisbradberry Talentsmart: http://www.talentsmart.com/about/talentsmart.php

Accredited BABCP CBT and AREBT therapists: http://www.cbtregisteruk.com/Default.aspx

Daniel Goleman Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielgoleman 38

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Functional Fluency Model: https://www.functionalfluency.com/?Functional%20Fluency%20Model

Books and Articles: Birds, R (2014) Middle Managers in UK higher education conceptualising experiences in support of reflective practice

IQ Tests. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligence_quotient

Perspectives: Policies and Practice in Higher Education 18 (3), pp 90-98

Johari Window: http://www.businessballs.com/johariwindowmodel.htm

Boyatzis, R and Goleman, D (2007): Emotional and Social Competency Inventory – University Edition Workbook. Hay Group

Mehrabian’s Communication Model. See: http://www.businessballs.com/mehrabiancommunications.htm

Burns, G (2008) The Solomon Asch and Gregory Burns experiments. A Neuroscientist reveals how to think differently. Boston MA Harvard Business Press

Mind – series of useful resources: ‘Taking care of business: Employer solutions for better mental health at work’ http://www.mind.org.uk/media/273471/taking-care-of-business.pdf

Cain, S (2012) Quiet. Penguin Books Chamorro-Premuzic, T (2014) C is as important as Intelligence. Harvard Business Review online https://hbr.org/2014/08/curiosity-is-as-important-as-intelligence/

‘Introduction to mentally healthy workplaces’: http://www.mind.org.uk/media/43247/ Resource1_Mentally_Healthy_workplacesFINAL_pdf.pdf

Clark, D (2014) How to promote yourself without looking like a jerk. Harvard Business Review online December 2014 https://hbr.org/2014/12/how-to-promote-yourselfwithout-looking-like-a-jerk

‘How to take stock of mental health in your workplace’: http://www.mind.org.uk/media/42862/ Resource_2_Take_Stock_of_MH_in_your_workplace_final.pdf

Cohen, WA (2008) A Class with Drucker American Management Association

‘How to promote wellbeing and tackle the causes of work-related mental health problems’: http://www.mind.org.uk/media/428496/ Resource3_HowToPromoteWellBeingFINAL.pdf

Damasio, A (1994) Descarte’s Error: Emotion, Reason and the Human Brain. Avon Books. Available online: https://bdgrdemocracy.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/descartes-error_antoniodamasio.pdf

‘How to support staff who are experiencing a mental health problem’: http://www.mind.org.uk/media/550657/resource4.pdf

Doidge, J and Whitchurch, C (1999) Problems? No problem! AUA Good Practice Guide no 22 Duman, R et al (2012) – cited in ‘Yale Team discovers how stress and depression can shrink brain. Yale News: http://news.yale.edu/2012/08/12/yale-team-discovers-how-stress-and-depressioncan-shrink-brain

Mindfulness – basic introduction: http://www.mindfulnesscds.com/ Times Higher Education (2013) Best University Workplace Survey https://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/news/the-best-university-workplace-surveystaff-unheard/2006488.article

Dunbar, D (2014) Communication – Putting the Manners (back) into Management.

Perspectives: Policy and Practice in Higher Education 18 (3) pp 84 to 89

UCU Report, 2013, ‘Higher Stress: A Survey of Stress and Well-being among staff in Higher Education’ (Kinman, G and Ray, S): http://www.ucu.org.uk/media/pdf/4/5/HE_stress_report_July_2013.pdf

Duncan, D (2014) Valuing professional, managerial and administrative staff in HE. Perspectives: Policy and Practice in Higher Education 18 (2) pp 38 to 42. “The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of his employer.”

41 Edwards, G (2008) The Bluffer’s Guide to Life Coaching Oval Books

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Farb, N et al (2007), Attending to the Present: Mindfulness Meditation reveals distinct neural modes of self-reference Social Cognitive Affective Neuroscience 2 (2007) 313-22 Fennell, M (2009) Overcoming Low Self-Esteem Constable & Robinson Fowler, K (2005) Managing Change. A guide for those working in higher education. AUA Good Practice Guide no 30 Gander, M (2014) Managing your personal brand. Perspectives: Policy and Practice in Higher Education 18 (3) pp 99-102 Gardner, H (1983) Frames of Mind - Published online by Googlebooks, https://books.google.co.uk/books? hl=en&lr=&id=2IEfFSYouKUC&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&dq=gardner+frames+of+mind&ots=36N5T2Tt-&sig=LyPrhal9H9oBpe-RIiOK-VMyg74#v=onepage&q=gardner%20frames% 20of%20mind&f=false Gardner, H (1993) Multiple Intelligences: The Theory in Practice. Perseus Books Gerhardt, S (2004) Why love matters. Brunner-Routledge Gilbert, P (2009) Overcoming Depression Constable & Robinson Goleman, D (1995) Emotional Intelligence. Why it can matter more than IQ. Bloomsbury Publishing Grant, A et al (2011) Reversing the extraverted leadership advantage: the role of employee inactivity Academy of Management Journal 54 (3) Grier, J and Johns, A (1998) Time for Lunch – Managing Stress at Work. AUA Good Practice Guide no 21 Hill, A and Curran, T (2015) Multideminsional Perfectionism and Burnout: A MetaAnalysis Personality and Social Psychology Review, 1-20 Judge, Lady Barbara (2015) Zombies vs Dinosaurs Governance and Compliance, October 2015, 24-27 Kaufman, S (2015) The Emotions that make us more creative. Harvard Business Review online Also cites work by Fong, C, Harmon-Jones, E and Beaty, R https://hbr.org/2015/08/the-emotions-that-make-us-more-creative

McKee, A (2015) The emotional impulses that poison healthy teams. Harvard Business Review online: https://hbr.org/2015/07/the-emotional-impulses-that-poison-healthy-teams Mayer, J and Salovey, S (1997) What is Emotional Intelligence? In P Salovey (ed) and D Sluyter (ed), Emotional Development and Emotional Intelligence: Educational Implications. New York: Basic Books Mayer, J, Salovey, P and Caruso, D (2004): Emotional Intelligence: Theory, Findings, and Implications. Psychological Inquiry, 15 (3), pp 197 to 215 Morton, A (2008) Mentoring – is it worth it? AUA Good Practice Guide no 34 Rock, D (2009) Your brain at work Harper Collins Siegel, D (2007) Mindfulness training and neural integration: differentiation of distinct streams of awareness and the cultivation of well-being. Social Cognitive Affective Neuroscience 2 (4) pp 259-263 Stein, D and Book, H (2011) The EQ Edge. Emotional Intelligence and your success.

Jossey-Bass Taylor, L and Underwood, S (2015) Academics v Administrators. Times Higher Education, 28th May 2015. Taylor refers to his address to the 2015 AUA Annual Conference:https://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/content/laurie-taylor-onacademics-v-administrators Trew, J and Alden, L (2015) Kindness reduces avoidance goals in socially anxious individual Motivation and Emotion, 9499. Read also ‘Want to reduce your social anxiety? Just be kind’ Fastcoexist.com: http://www.fastcoexist.com/3048638/want-to-reduce-your-social-anxiety-just-bekind?utm_source=facebook Woolley, A et al (2010) Evidence for a Collective Intelligence Factor in the Performance of Human Groups. Science 330 (6004) pp 686-688. Read the following Harvard Business Review article for an overview: https://hbr.org/2014/12/great-teams-need-social-intelligence-equal-participation-and -more-women

Knight, S (2002) NLP at work. Nicholas Brearly Publishing LeDoux, J (1986) Sensitive Systems and Emotion. Integrative Psychology 4 Leighton, A (2011) Tough Calls. Random House

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