Emotional Intelligence

Derek Westbrook Archer Center October 3, 2013

Neuroscience Facts
The brain is not designed to think!! 1. Sight and Movement 2. Memory 3. Thinking (slowest and most inefficient) Why do you think that is?

Neuroscience Facts
The Amygdala This structure regulates an individuals interactions with the environment that affect survival e.g. fight or flight response i.e. our emotional response to sensory stimulus

Neuroscience Facts
The Amygdala
Encodes an emotional message, if one is present, whenever a memory is tagged for long term storage. The emotional component is recalled whenever the memory is recalled. Emotion and memory are inextricably intertwined. What are the implications?

Neuroscience Facts
THERE IS A HIERARCHY OF RESPONSE TO SENSORY INPUT
Any input that is of higher priority diminishes the processing of data of lower priority.

1.

The brains main job is to help its owner survive. (eg. something burning, growling dog, gunshots, bullying). Anything viewed as a threat to survival is processed immediately. Emotional data take high priority. We have had experiences when anger, fear of the unknown, or joy quickly overcame our rational thoughts. This reflexive override of conscious thought can be strong enough to cause temporary inability to talk (I was dumbfounded) or move (I froze). Under certain conditions, emotions can enhance or inhibit our memory. Strong emotions can shut down our conscious processing of an event while enhancing our memory of it.

2.

BEFORE STUDENTS WILL TURN THEIR ATTENTION TO COGNITIVE LEARNING, THEY MUST FEEL PHYSICALLY SAFE AND EMOTIONALLY SECURE

Neuroscience Facts
Hierarchy of Response to Sensory Input 1. Data affecting Survival (REFLEXIVE) 2. Data generating Emotions (REFLEXIVE) 3. Data for Cognition (REFLECTIVE)

Neuroscience Facts
How a person feels about a situation determines the amount of attention devoted to it. Emotions interact with reason to support or inhibit Learning (Performance). To be successful learners and productive citizens we need to know how to use our emotions intelligently.

Neuroscience Facts
Habits are more ingrained because they are rooted in memory (thus emotionally charged) and easier to fall into.for better or worse. We are creatures of habit. Change is a conscious decision to create new habits and overwrite old ones.

Assessing Habits/Patterns

What do you see?

What do you see?

What do you see?

Why Emotional Intelligence?

What are the professional implications for Emotional Intelligence? In todays fast-paced and globally competitive environment organizations are looking to new paradigms that will provide successful results. As a result organizations around the world are increasingly turning to the concept of Emotional Intelligence to improve recruitment and hiring procedures, team and work group performance, customer service, and supervision processes. Therefore, individuals who demonstrate effective Emotional Intelligence will possess a competitive advantage as they enter the professional realm.

What Companies Want

WHAT EMPLOYERS WANT
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Listening skills; communication skills. Technical skills Adaptability Confidence, Motivation Group/Interpersonal Effectiveness Effectiveness in Organization/Leadership Potential

REASONS FOR CAREER DERAILMENT

1. Poor Self-Control 2. Inability to handle failure and criticism. 3. Overly ambitious at others expense 4. Lacked empathy and sensitivity; abrasive, arrogant 5. Failed to build network of cooperative, mutually beneficial relationships. (1996, Leslie and Van Velsor)

(from US Department of Labor)

EQ
Domains of Ability Assessed by Employers 1. Cognitive Ability (IQ) 2. Technical Expertise 3. Emotional Intelligence
In terms of what distinguishes star performers from average workers, emotional intelligence is twice as important as IQ and technical skill combined. The higher you go in the organization, the more it matters. Daniel Goleman

EQ
Scientists consider Emotional Intelligence a learnable intelligence, one that can be developed and improved at any time and at any age. We all possess the potential to improve our Emotional Intelligence. (Repetition, Practice, Modeling, Effort) (Reflexive Conditioning Habit Formation)

EQ and Political Competence

How many of you have encountered office politics? How might power and politics be viewed in a vertical structure vs. a process-based structure? On your leadership competency matrix, there is a box labeled Organizational Savvy. This includes understanding and fitting in to the culture of the organization and being politically adept.

EQ and Critical Thinking

Activity:
The Charge: Due to the level of enrollment this quarter, RPI does not have enough classrooms to handle the course load. Your group has been selected to help to address this issue for the RPI community.

EQ and Critical Thinking

DELIVERABLES:
1.To author a problem statement identifying who their stakeholder will be and what their focus will be when trying to solve the problem. (e.g. Our group will focus on 2.Walk through the activity on page 6 of their Critical Thinking booklet, write down their groups responses to the questions. 3.Prepare to report out to the large group.