In class I had a short reading on emotional intelligence called Emotional Intelligence- Leading with Heart and Mind. Upon reflecting on the reading I set a goal in my leadership development plan  to improve my emotional intelligence. My plan was to recognize and manage my emotions and understand those of my team members. I also wanted to be socially aware of the emotions each team member expressed and the effect they could have on our meetings.

Emotional intelligence played a big role in the improvement of my leadership development. It is not an easy task to manage emotions in self and others. However, I believe I was successful in having self –awareness. Team meetings were not my ideal way to spend my Friday or Sunday nights, but reflecting on the following passage of the emotional intelligence reading, “The emotional state of the leader impacts the entire group…we can “catch” emotions from others” (Daft, 32), helped me manage my emotions.

Even if I was not in the best mood for a team meeting I switched my mind set and entered the room with determination. My team’s feedback helped me measure my progress in my emotional intelligence. In the first midterm feedback, team members wrote, “Cecilia is good at keeping the team focused…. Always having a positive attitude that rubs off on other group members…” Their feedback asserted my ability to manage my emotions.

I was not able to participate as much as I would have liked in our final proposal. I left for a conference that week and arrived the day before our proposal was due. However, I was able to bring a fresh mindset to the table, as one team member mentioned in the final feedback, “…when she came back, she really filled the team with fresh air.”

An area I was not as successful was social awareness. I understood others emotions but had a hard time empathizing. I recall an instance where a team member’s work overload was causing a negative vibe in the group and I suggested him to go home. An appropriate leadership role would have interacted with his emotions and obtained a positive result.

Understanding the importance of emotional intelligence will result in effectively managing oneself and ones relationships. As I continue my leadership development I will keep in mind that emotions can be contagious and to act as a positive role model by being optimistic and enthusiastic. I cannot expect to leave my emotions at home and therefore I will not expect my teammates to do so.
 
 
(Daft, Richard L., and Patricia G. Lane. “Emotional Intelligence- Leading with Heart and Mind.” The Leadership Experience. Mason, OH: Thomson/South-Western, 2004. 27-33. Print.)