It is official, emotional intelligence is the new buzz word for effective management strategies!
When I saw the adverts for the new MBA in a recent supplement in ‘The Independent’ it came to my attention that they are using Shakespeare and Literature as a means of teaching how to manage. A play they focus on is ‘Othello’. From a reading of the play the concept of ‘honesty’, loyalty, misjudgements, and the consequences of manipulating others can all be explored. How people abuse their power and how corrosive this is, is a definite way of encouraging reflection and inspiring change in how we all behave towards others. It is also an empowering thought that we can bring an explicit sense of humanity into how we manage.
In addition to this, imagine my excitement when I realised that there is a possibility that we can finally dispose of the lexicon of American business speak? It is wearing very thin. My personal HATES are:
- ‘Think outside the box’ – we have had to hear this so often we are no longer in the box…
- Strategy – when they haven’t got one, but think if they say the word often enough we will all be convinced…
- Vision – as with strategy – we can only follow your vision if you can clarify exactly what it is – and if you haven’t really got one – don’t say it.
- Blue sky thinking – yawn! Which when stated evokes the reverse; black storm clouds fill my head.
- Ball park figures…
- Marketeers – is this an actual word, or are they getting confused with Muskateer?
- Going forward…
- Incentivise
- Holistic approach
- Challenge…
- Sprinkling our magic…
- Cascading down…
- It’s a no brainer..
I could go on. ..
My friend hit an all time low when after a particular yawn fest of ‘inspirational’ training on the first day of school she text me to say she was missing ‘Heir Hunters’ to sit through this. Or when the most excitement staff can muster is a sweep stake on how often a particular manger with woeful public speaking skills says ‘OK’ in his 15 minute presentation. If staff have to use their valuable time for training make it meaningful. If you know, deep down that your managers’ ability to inspire is limited – get them some training. Staff need dynamic and engaging ideas that will fill them with pride and a sense of purpose, not a ‘re-branding’ of the same old same old.
Learning form Othello’s mistakes
The characters and fate of Iago and Othello both act as a timely warnings to leaders who manipulate and mistreat their staff – or who misjudge who they can truly trust and allow the manipulation and destruction of others. There are many other literary analogies that could be transferred to the workplace – for an American slant a reread of Tom Wolfe’s 80’s classic ‘The Bonfire of the Vanities’ could also help.
I feel an immense sense of relief that there may be a chink of hope if this approach is encouraged in training. Emotional intelligence can be taught, and it does need to be extended into the workplace. We can go some way forward in protecting and supporting staff and an excellent starting point is by eradicating any sense of a blanket acceptance of aggressive and destructive management techniques from the workplace.
It has also made me appreciate that it is an area of management training that I would actually enjoy delivering, it holds all kinds of exciting prospects for thought, reflection and behavioural management, and your staff may actually enjoy learning something new.
See the course outline for corporate training for more details.
See the course outline for corporate training for more details.