Emotional Intelligence

See my latest blog and newsletter called The Inside Stuff at newsletter.elainemorris.com!

The early ’80s was a great time to be in Dallas in the commercial real estate business. It was the Dallas boom years. People were flocking to the South. Business and career opportunities were abundant. But little did they know what was coming in just a few short years!

In case you have been oblivious to your judge, allow me to introduce you. It’s that little and sometimes loud voice in your head that is constantly running in the background like a radio station you can’t turn off. It’s a running commentary that sounds something like this…

It turned out that his anxiety was costing him thousands of dollars in new business. Here’s how we worked through it.

Leadership is often seen as an external function, characterized by decisions, actions, and outward expressions of authority. However, effective leadership stems from a profound understanding and management of one’s internal landscape. This concept, often referred to as the “inside stuff,” plays a crucial role in shaping a leader’s success, both professionally and personally. Let’s dive into what this inside stuff entails and why it’s vital for effective leadership.

Positive intelligence plays an essential role in both personal and professional development. It's a groundbreaking methodology that helps us recognize when our brain is at its peak performance, known as the “sage brain,” and when it falls into counterproductive patterns, or the “saboteur brain.”

Much study in the last 25 years in the fields of neuroscience, positive psychology, cognitive psychology and performance science leads to similar conclusions — how you think and what you believe about yourself, plays a significant role in determining your outcomes and overall success in life.

Are you feeling a little down right now? All the big festivities are over. For some of you there is some sadness as family members have gone back home to cities far away.

Highlighting the importance of taking time for reflection and celebration of achievements at the year's end to gain a balanced perspective on personal and professional growth. Encouraging leaders to move beyond a "gap" mindset focused on unmet goals to a "gain" mindset that appreciates accomplishments and lessons learned, supported by a personal practice of stillness and the resource "Life As Art" for guided reflection and planning.

Exploring the benefits of effectively receiving feedback, highlighting the challenges posed by truth, relationship, and identity triggers, and offering strategies for overcoming these obstacles to improve personal and professional growth, relationships, and performance. The narrative encourages embracing a growth mindset and seeking out feedback to uncover blind spots and foster development.

Introducing "The Power of TED*" by David Emerald as a guide to escaping the Drama Triangle of Victim, Rescuer, and Persecutor roles by adopting the empowering roles of Creator, Challenger, and Coach. The book provides a framework for taking responsibility for one's own actions and fostering positive, proactive change both internally and in interactions with others, aiming to replace dysfunction with empowerment and growth.

Drawing inspiration from a persistent vine, this narrative explores the themes of growth, resilience, and the importance of a growth mindset. It emphasizes the value of self-awareness, the willingness to embrace challenges, and the necessity of support from others to overcome limitations and achieve personal and professional development.

Sharing a personal narrative about navigating the emotional highs and lows of the holiday season during a challenging year, highlighting the importance of acknowledging grief, embracing vulnerability, and finding joy in adjusted traditions, while emphasizing the value of supportive relationships and self-compassion in coping with adversity.

Discussing the benefits of journaling for leaders, such as enhanced self-awareness, increased creativity, and deeper connections, to combat emotional detachment and improve decision-making, employee engagement, and company culture.

Exploring the concept of group-level emotional intelligence (EI) as a key factor in team performance, highlighting how teams with high EI create trust, a shared identity, and a sense of efficacy, leading to significantly better outcomes compared to teams lacking in these emotional competencies.

Outlining the crucial role of boundaries in effective leadership, emphasizing organizational clarity, the judicious use of "yes" and "no," and the skill of conducting constructive confrontational conversations to enhance performance and maintain a productive working environment.

Demonstrating the impact of emotional intelligence in leadership, specifically how empathy, self-awareness, and effective communication can transform potential conflict into a productive problem-solving session, thereby motivating and empowering team members.

Encouraging the practice of gratitude and positive reflection even in the face of life's challenges, inspired by the "glad game" from Pollyanna, to foster hope, resilience, and meaningful connections during Thanksgiving and beyond, while also honoring and remembering loved ones who have passed.

Offering guidance on navigating through life's adversities by embracing emotional expression, seeking supportive relationships, utilizing specific support groups, educating oneself on personal challenges, engaging in journaling and prayer for reflection and connection, and gradually reengaging in life activities to foster resilience and healing.

Highlighting the importance of leveraging strengths and addressing weaknesses through self-awareness and feedback, as illustrated by the use of the EQ 360 assessment to enhance leadership effectiveness and emotional intelligence.

Outlining the benefits of executive teams conducting off-site retreats, such as gaining fresh perspectives, facilitating strategic planning, fostering creativity, enhancing team alignment, and improving decision-making for the growth and profitability of their companies.

Highlighting the pivotal role of Emotional Intelligence (EQ) in enhancing leadership performance, with self-awareness as its cornerstone, and suggesting spiritual growth and self-reflection as effective methods to foster EQ development.

Advocating for regular one-to-one coaching sessions between leaders and direct reports to foster rapport, accountability, and career development, while eschewing traditional performance reviews for more frequent, personalized interactions.

Advocating for intentionally incorporating "white space" into one's schedule for thinking, creating, and relaxing to enhance work quality, improve sleep, and increase overall happiness, outlining practical steps for daily, weekly, and monthly planning, creative thinking, and active recovery activities.