5/5/14 Developing Emotional Intelligence

Emotional Intelligence and Leadership

In the past two decades, we have experienced a lot of turmoil like September 11 terrorist attack in New York, Northridge earthquake, civil disturbance and riot in Los Angeles, housing bubble burst leading to foreclosures and great recession.  Modern day leaders not only need to know how to deal with motivating followers in a calm environment, but also know how to manage in crisis situations.

The qualities of such company leaders like Kenneth I Chenault of American Express, who showed his emotional solitude and compassion in the aftermath of the collapse of World Trade Center are of interest to modern writers and researchers on leadership.  At the time, the lives of eleven AmEx employees were taken, and the office had to be relocated for a long period of time.  His handling of AmEx after the crisis of September 11, and economic melt down of 2008 caused him to be exemplified as one of the best organization leaders.  This ability to have emotional self-control or awareness of one own emotion, sense others’ emotions, and optimism is developed through emotional intelligence.(More about Chenault’s leadership at AmEx read: https://blog.kissmetrics.com/lessons-from-ken-chenault/)

Right Brain, Emotions, and Music

As a manager and leader, I’m very interested in understanding how my right brain works, because that is where my emotion and feelings come from.  Through songs and music, I notice and appreciate how different emotions have been stirred within me.  This is part of God’s design for me inside, from where flows my outward feedback. I want to explore, understand more, manage, and make good use of this side of the brain not only for developing emotional intelligence but also for spiritual awareness and strength that will give hope like what Kenneth Chenault did for his people at AmEx.

I am fortunate to be associated with a few musicians, who bring these artistic feelings, and emotional dimension to my life.  I found strength and happiness from hymnals, but even better when there are songwriters that write songs that tell of the reality of spiritual struggles, uplifting messages of constant love and care of God.  One songwriter in particular is Lennox Fleary; I have known him for over four years, and have admired his music.  He has an ability to tell soulful stories of spiritual struggles, and God’s messages through music and songs.

 A beautiful song that he wrote for his friends’ wedding really moved me.  My brain, which usually stays objective to analyze situations and make judgments in day-to-day business operations, became soft with the beautiful words when I listened to this song:

"From a million stars in the crowded sky

Like a treasure buried in the sands of time,

In the silver shadow of a moonlit night,

You’ll be the one to find me.

Like the prince arisen from the days of old,

When the dragon slain and the stories told,

Where the rainbow’s dive to the pot of gold,

You’d be the one to find me.

Right away, it’s clear.

Deeper magic has happened  here.

Right away, we knew this is love this is true…

They tell me that love, it is a fickle fire,

And fortune lingers where the bold resides,

Where the angels dance and our dreams collide,

 There I’d be the one to find you.

Right away, it’s clear

Deeper magic has happened here.

Right away we knew this is love this is true

From a million stars in the crowded sky

Like a treasure buried in the sands of time,

In silver shadow of a moonlit night,

You’d be the one to find me

Yes, you’d be the one to find me; I’ll be the one to find you…”

It takes artistic imagination to write the song that shows the beauty of love, when in the reality of your life it seems to be far from that ideal situation.

Sometime, a songwriter needs to get a push from a friend to continue with what he could do to make this world beautiful.  Sometime, we need to take a break and continue, take wings, rise again, and encourage others.  That was exactly what Lennox has done:  he took a sabbatical break last year, and now building up his website again.  He’s now full of energy, joy, love, and hope to give away.

Last year, Lennox graciously performed a set of songs for me when I visited him during his birthday weekend.  “To Find You” was one of the songs that I was able to record on my phone and now uploaded into Youtube for myself, and whoever interested to watch.  There were moments in the video that you can feel the reluctance in his singing, but I’m sure you will agree that the song is beautiful. (Never mind the portion that has the behind the camera voice.  You can sing along too.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3q1RqcQ6kdc

You can also find in the music section of his website the full studio recorded version of “To Find You”, and a new version of his song “Wings” that is still in the last stage of production.  Final version of “Wings” will be posted on his website soon this month.

Photograph By Jade Pondella

http://www.lennoxfleary.com/music/

Go ahead, exercise your right brain, and go to Lennox’ website, read his writing, listen to his songs, and watch his “Living Room Live” videos that he posts often.  Being aware of one own's emotion helps develop emotional intelligence.  We all need that emotional intelligence to be a good leader like Kenneth Chenault, right?