As you prepare to respond to this post, refer to the “Emotional Intelligence” Learning Activity. Think about a manager that you have had in the past. Which aspect of emotional intelligence mentioned in the reading would you say was lacking for this manager? Explain your answer. How did this affect the group managed? What steps could this manager take to become more of an effective leader?

The Emotional Intelligence aspects listed are: Self-awareness refers to your ability to know your strengths, weaknesses, drives, and motivations. Self-regulation involves being able to control your emotions, based on outside stimuli. Social skill is the ability to manage relationships. Empathy refers to the ability to consider others’ feelings and thoughts and put yourself in their position.

I might say the one that I most often come into contact with seems to be a lack of Empathy as defined by the competency. I have found often that many time even after many years of service I many times am passed by. One incident I remember was when the church I was attending had licensing classes to become a minister within that fellowship. There were several of us that took the class. I had been a former senior pastor and a Bible College graduate. The only one with those credentials in the class.  I remember one of the pastors approaching me and telling me that the homework I had turned in was the highest and most comprehensive in the class. At the end of it all, I was the only one that was not licensed.  In fact, it wasn't until ten years later that the pastorate made me an ordained minister. After so long taking the humblest chair at the table and serving at a level higher than most he just didn't have a choice.  As a former pastor I find most ofter my views get challenged, opportunities for advancement are sometimes not offered and the need for me to take the lesser road is necessary.  I would love to report that personalities played no part in church leadership, but this is just not the case. My superiors may feel threatened as none of them had bible college degrees until recently.  I have noticed some change as they have attained their goals.  However, the constant need for them to be a mentor, and me to be in training in their mind sometimes is ever present. Blessedly the moral of my college graduating class was "people of perseverance".

This attitude really effects my abilities as a leader. Although I am the only one that can do many of the tasks--especially the web related ones-- it wasn't until recently that I was named an assistant pastor of the church.  As a result, most challenge any authority or direction I give to them. This is a direct result of the many years of service without a title. I actually had one leader get mad at me and call me a stocker when I asked them why they left early--telling me that they didn't view me as a pastor. The only thing I could do was brush it off and let a different pastor--one they viewed as a pastor--do the followup. To be honest, I still don't know how to improve these relationships, though taking classes such as this one helps. Further, I have noticed as these managers achieved successes in their own academic careers some of these issues are being resolved. These are friends, not just managers, but still, many times they say what you want to hear without any intentions of giving place for promotion. 


You got: Average Emotional Intelligence
People with an average score on emotional intelligence tend to be pretty good at interpreting, understanding, and acting upon emotions. They are usually quite good at dealing with social or emotional conflicts, expressing their feelings, and dealing with emotional situations.

While you have some solid emotional skills, sometimes you might find yourself feeling overwhelmed by conflict or emotionally charged situations. Even though you are about average at interpreting and controlling your emotions, it may help to learn a bit more about the