Primal Leadership: Realizing The Power Of Emotional Intelligence

Daniel Goleman in his book, Primal Leadership: Realizing the Power of Emotional Intelligence

, Harvard Business School Press, 2002, on p ix, asserts that, The fundamental task of leaders, we argue, is to prime good feeling in those they lead. That occurs when a leader creates resonance a reservoir of positivity that frees the best in people. At its root, then, the primal job of leadership is emotional.

That sounds quite a bit different than the usual emphasis on being rational, doesnt it? Well, has the emphasis on being rational really worked? Does it do what Goleman claims, frees the best in people? Do you want to add that ability to your repertoire?

More specifically, what would your payoff be? Goleman says that emotionally intelligent leadership can inspire, arouse passion and enthusiasm, and keep people motivated and committed. If you need more of that, it might be worth your effort to get Golemans book or at least keep on reading our Leadership Tips.

I can help you learn how to, in Golemans words, generate the emotional resonance that lets people flourish. I see that as a good definition of effective leadership - creating an environment in which people flourish. There may be many ways to do that. However, Goleman is pointing to one way that most leaders need to do better. We need to be more aware of our feelings and those of others so that we can create emotional resonance and minimize dissonance. This helps create an environment in which people flourish.

Copyright 2009, by William R. Murray, President of Eagle Alliance Executive Coaching, LLC. Reprint rights granted to all venues so long as this article and by-line are printed intact with all links made live.

by: William R. Murray

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