Module 4 Tipping Points of Emotional Intelligence

Read the article, Using tipping points of emotional intelligence and cognitive competencies to predict financial performance of leaders (Journal Scholar Metrics) by Dr. Richard E. Boyatzis.

In your reflection blog, share instances where you have experienced a tipping point at work. When you experienced the tipping point, describe how positive or negative emotional attractors played a role in it.

• What was the situation?
• What did you do?
• What was the result?
• What would you do differently?

Submit the link/URL to your blog. For guidance on completing this assignment and using Canvas ePortfolio, review the Reflection Blog Assignments page.

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Tipping Points of Emotional Intelligence

Share instances where you have experienced a tipping point at work. When you experienced the tipping point, describe how positive or negative emotional attractors played a role in it:

1) What was the situation?

2) What did you do?

3) What was the result?

4) What would you do differently?

    One of my biggest issues in my early career was being overly competitive. I have also been very self-motivated and self-driven, which leads me to being self-centered at times. My goals are to rise to the top of whatever it is I am doing, and work surfaced as a new goal. This meant that I strived to achieve awards and recognition, especially because they are necessary to continue rising through the ranks of the military. Unfortunately, my highly competitive nature brought about some negative emotional attractors such as jealousy, resentment, pessimism, and cynicism. 

    In one of my first positions as a Chief of Programs and Requirements, I had a counterpart in a sister branch, the Chief of Engineering. Both Capt Steele and I worked for the same supervisor, and she was really on point. Capt Steele was organized, prepared, and effective, and it did not go unnoticed. She won many awards in the categories in which we both competed, and I felt as though she was stealing the spotlight. It angered me because I felt that my efforts were unacknowledged. I experienced several negative emotional attractors as outlined by Boyatzis & McKee (2005) such as jealousy, resentment, greed, hatred, nervousness, anxiety, and cynicism (p. 154). Just as they write, I could feel physiological effects from these emotions such as an increase in my blood pressure and breathing, tightening of facial muscles, and more; my body was eliciting a "stress response" in a survival-like mode (Boyatzis & McKee, 2005, p. 154). Moreover, the cynicism I brought to the workplace spread along with the rest of these negative emotional attractors. Boyatzis & McKee (2005) write that "Cynicism is self-perpetuating, breeding frustration and despair—even hopelessness—which in turn breed more cynicism" (p. 154). 

    Eventually, I had some great mentors step in and tell me to 'check myself' because I was not doing anyone any favors with my mode of operation. Negativity spreads like wildfire, and these mentors advised me to look intrinsically, to look in the mirror, and see how I can work on myself. I ended up realizing that my negative emotional attractors came from a lack of confidence in myself and low self-esteem. Through some additional study in this, I learned that self-esteem can have "significant effects on the emotional states that can occur at work, such as empathy and employee jealousy" (Arli et al., 2018). Moreover, low self-esteem can lead to backstabbing, and "you can't raise someone's self-esteem" (Hopson et al., 2010). Once I focused more on self-control, conscientiousness, empathy, self-confidence, and systems thinking, I experienced mutual success and my own successes alongside Capt Steele (Boyatzis, 2006). We ended up making a very good team once I let go of my ego.

Table 1

Competencies in Clusters (Boyatzis, 2006)

(1) Self-motivation cluster: Initiative, Planning, Achievement Orientation, Self-confidence;

(2) Self-regulation cluster: Taking a Risky Stand, Self-control, Adaptability, Conscientiousness, Values Learning;

(3) People Management cluster: Oral Presentations, Networking, Leadership, Coaching, Empathy, Influence, Facilitates Learning, and Distinguishes the Firm’s Reputation and Resources; and

(4) Cognitive Cluster: Pattern Recognition, Systems Thinking, and Knowledge. 

    If I were to go through this situation again, I would keep the competencies and clusters regarding the tipping points of emotional intelligence in mind. As Boyatzis (2006) writes, "tipping points, or trigger points, allows the question of how much of the competency must be demonstrated to be sufficient for outstanding performance." So, I would try to practice several competencies spread across the different clusters more frequently. Boyatzis (2006) writes that "the tipping point for the clusters were: three of the four competencies in the Self-management cluster; two of the five competencies in the Self-regulation cluster; four of the eight competencies in the People management cluster; and two of the three competencies in the Cognitive cluster." Given this knowledge, I would strive for this distribution to become a more optimal performer and move from the negative emotional attractor part of the spectrum to the positive emotional attractor side. Boyatzis & McKee (2005) explain that "positive emotions such as compassion, confidence, and generosity have a decidedly constructive effect on neurological functioning, psychological well-being, physical health, and personal relationships" (p. 154). Furthermore, positive emotional attractors lead to higher energy and production. Intentional change starts with with the self, and we need to spend time with positive emotional attractors to go through "personal change" (Boyatzis & McKee, 2005, p. 156). Overall, I would focus on improving my own self using the clusters of competencies and make sure I'm leaning toward positivity. 

-Chad R.

References:

Arli, N., Aydemir, M., & Aral, N. (2018). Self-Esteem, Empathy and Jealousy in the Workplace. IDEAS Working Paper Series from RePEc.

Boyatzis, R. & Mckee, A. (2005). Resonant Leadership. Harvard Business School Press.

Boyatzis, R. (2006). Using tipping points of emotional intelligence and cognitive competencies to predict financial performance of leaders. Psicothema, Vol.(18), pp. 124-131. https://www.psicothema.com/pi?pii=3287

Hopson, J., Hopson, E. H., & Hagen, T. (2010). Professional jealousy hurts workplace relationships. In McClatchy - Tribune News Service. Tribune Content Agency LLC.