Leadership is an act of guidance that creates successful results. Leadership encompasses both human and knowledgeable qualities. Daniel Goleman and Mitch McCrimmon provide research and their personal conclusions about leadership. Goleman believes that there are human qualities involved in providing leadership, while McCrimmon identifies that there are technical approaches involved in leadership.
Although each author discusses different aspects of leadership, both aspects are important in providing effective leadership. In this report, I will identify the research and other experiences that influence each author’s major conclusion and will provide my opinion on the more convincing article.
According to Goleman, decisions are made based on emotions, which results in leadership. This is evident at the beginning of “The Emotional Intelligence of Leaders”, where
Goleman provides a personal encounter involving emotional intelligence and leadership. He and his wife were traveling and see a man in a wheelchair, soliciting on the street. Goleman gives the man some cash, but the cash falls onto the street. As Goleman drives away, he realizes that the man is disabled. Another individual sees that the disabled man has encountered a problem.
The individual solves the disabled gentleman’s problem by getting out of his vehicle and returning the money. Goleman states that the individual’s reaction to the disabled man’s problem contributes to emotions. The individual’s decision to help the disabled man results in leadership.
When someone mentions the word “emotions”, it is connected to feelings. Feelings are observable actions. Some individuals are full of emotions and it is evident because they are compassionate and stable. If individuals lack emotions, they lack feelings and are indifferent about any sensitive matters.
Emotions also have inner and outer influences and are structured where one can distinguish right from wrong. Goleman describes five components of emotional intelligence: having self- awareness, managing emotions, motivating others; showing empathy, and staying connected. Each component plays a vital role for contributing leadership.
The first component of emotional intelligence is having self-awareness. Self-awareness is described as following your feelings because it often contributes to conscientious decision- making. Self-awareness also involves confidence because if you do not believe in yourself or your ideas, you cannot expect anyone else to be supportive.
The second and third components of emotional intelligence are managing emotions and motivating others. Goleman provides a Stanford University study where managing emotions starts at a young age. The study indicates that individuals that are able to manage emotions well at a younger age are more established as they become older. Leaders should definitely be able to manage emotions because they have more responsibilities and have to interact with different personalities on a daily basis. When motivating others, leaders should encourage others to find a solution to a problem or take responsibility to find a solution, versus placing the blame. The fourth and fifth components of emotional intelligence are showing empathy and staying connected. Goleman describes how people express their feelings through actions versus words. “Actions speak louder than words” is an expression to remember when interacting with others because you do not ever know an individual’s mood solely through communication. A facial expression indicates whether the individual is approachable or not. Also, communication is the key for staying connected. It is impossible to remain connected if there is a lack of communication. McCrimmon provides an overview on leadership approaches such as traditional leadership and shared leadership, and compares them to thought leadership. He concludes that thought leadership is more suited for an organization’s success.
The author states that traditional leadership is taught and shared leadership occurs when everyone shares the opportunity to lead. Thought leadership is based on presenting new concepts, but the results may improve a prior concept. Based on the article, thought leadership can be best described as the creation of a blueprint. Once the blueprint is deemed useful and accepted, thought leadership is utilized and is no longer required.
McCrimmon also provides several cases where thought leadership is evident. Each case illustrates that each individual that implements thought leadership has a non-supervisory work role and that each case results in new concepts or improves prior concepts.
Thought leadership does not always lead to successful results. There are other cases where thought leadership is rejected, but the individuals decide to venture on their own. It is important to know that if an idea is rejected, not to give up. If someone decided to give up every time an idea is rejected, society would not be able to appreciate the many innovations and technologies that are currently available.
The author describes several components of thought leadership, but there is one that I will address. He states that an expert on an issue doesn’t necessarily need to be dependable. An individual should be dependable and knowledgeable on any subject to present successful results.
For example, a doctor should be definitely knowledgeable about the medical field, but most importantly, dependable for treating the ill and saving lives. An educator should be knowledgeable in his or her discipline, but should also be dependable about educating the youth because they are the future.
All in all, both authors believe that an act of providing leadership does not always include managerial involvement. Leadership is the ability to determine right from wrong, but also the knowledge or expertise in a specific area. McCrimmon states that thought leadership lacks emotions and is based on knowledge or skill. Goleman states that leadership is derived from emotions and that knowledge or skill is not necessary to become a proven leader.
Although both authors provide essential research about leadership, I believe Goleman’s article is more convincing. Goleman recalls his personal experiences and researches several studies to conclude that anyone can focus on a field of study to develop expertise, but emotional intelligence allows you to make careful decisions. Before reading Goleman’s article, I thought leadership involved only knowledge or skill in a particular matter. Goleman expresses that leadership is derived from emotions. I can relate directly to two of Goleman’s emotional intelligence components, showing empathy and motivating others.
I can relate to the emotional intelligence component, showing empathy. I agree with
Goleman’s approach that individuals that lack empathy do not need to have leadership roles because they will be indifferent toward others. For example, there is an employee in my office that fits the description of an “organizational sociopath”. Although the employee has great work ethics, she thinks only of herself. I believe that she thinks that she could run the entire organization alone, or there is an “I” in team. So, I always ask another employee for guidance because she expresses that she is always willing to help.
I can also relate to the emotional intelligence component, motivating others. I relocated to
Maryland from Alabama immediately after college graduation. I really did not want to move far away from my family and friends, but I was offered a great job. My friends and family have been supportive since my new transition. Before I accepted my current job, I completed several applications for companies that were close to home, but I did not have any luck. My family and friends continued to motivate me when I had the desire to give up. All in all, I had to learn from my failure, limiting areas to live, to create a solution in order to begin my career.
In addition, I have close friends that are currently unemployed and are seeking jobs in their area of study. I continue to encourage them that a job opportunity will become available soon, therefore they should not give up. I continue to motivate them to apply for jobs and also have mock interviews on the phone. One friend states that he will not allow this situation become a setback. My friend’s solution is to enroll in graduate school, so that he can obtain another degree to become more competitive in the workforce.
Over the years, my mother has encouraged me to always act in good character because someone is always watching, whether I realize it or not. After reading Goleman’s article, it is clear now that my mother’s message is to become a leader and not a follower. If I act in good character, other individuals will adopt this practice and follow in my footsteps. Based on
Goleman’s research and conclusion, I am a leader.