» A shower of meteors

… from emotional intelligence at work

Newsletter 60 : 21 november 2011

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Greetings
Welcome to our newsletter. As ever, we like to offer a change from other newsletters which can demand an awful lot of reading.

(The Leonids meteor shower is active around now.)

Our video of the week

What is the difference between leadership and management?

This week, Jeremy talks about leadership and proposes a new—but very useful and effective—approach to leadership (dur 4:21). Do let us know what you think.

Emotional intelligence conundrum of the week

Is my reluctance to use social media blocking my career progress?

“I have been reading a lot about how essential it is for employees these days to develop their online profiles through the use of LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and what have you. I work for an insurance broker and a lot of my colleagues appear obsessed with these so-called social media websites. In this regard I am quite the opposite. To be honest, I don’t understand what the obsession is with it all, yet I’m also left with the distinct sense that not playing along will leave me at some kind of disadvantage in my career. Is there any hope for someone who would rather keep their personal life off the web?”

One of the key aspects of emotional intelligence is communication, so this interesting problem is fair game for our newsletter. See here [scroll down] for some answers. Do let us know your views.

Video of the week

In this funny and inspiring video, author and activist, Isabel Allende, discusses passion, creativity and women. She answers the question: “What is truer than truth?” (dur 18:00)

(Incidentally, if you have difficulty watching videos at work, let us have your personal email address and we’ll send the newsletter there. Absolute confidentiality assured. We don’t pass email addresses to anyone.)

Quotations of the week

You must learn to be still in the midst of activity and to be vibrantly alive in repose.

I suppose leadership at one time meant muscles; but today it means getting along with people.

People tend to forget their duties but remember their rights.

Indira Gandhi, b 19 November 1917, the first woman Prime Minister of India

Music videos of the week

Nora the piano-playing cat (we kid you not) in her first concerto performance via live (well, maybe) satellite link, complete with a proper orchestra and everything. Personally, I think she’s heavily influenced by Keith Jarrett. (dur 4:52)

Keith Jarrett plays Gershwin’s I loves you Porgy (dur 5:24). Am I right or am I right?

Philosophers of the week

We don’t exist unless there is someone who can see us existing, what we say has no meaning until someone can understand, while to be surrounded by friends is constantly to have our identity confirmed; their knowledge and care for us have the power to pull us from our numbness. In small comments, many of them teasing, they reveal they know our foibles and accept them and so, in turn, accept that we have a place in the world.

Alain de Botton (b 1969), The consolations of philosophy, a fine book strongly recommended.

Of all the means which wisdom acquires to help one live one’s entire life in happiness, the greatest by far is the possession of friendship.

Epicurus (b 341BCE), Sovereign maxims

Government grants for leadership and management development

If you run a business or social enterprise and you want it to be more successful, there’s likely to be money from the government for you to go towards a coaching programme with us. Take advantage of this year’s Leadership and Management Advisory Service scheme. Our programmes are tailored for your business’s needs and consist of nine 90 minute sessions which will enable you to take great strides in your business. Qualifying businesses get £1000 matched funding from the government towards one of our programmes.

All contributions welcome.

If you have been, thank you for reading.
Kay and Jeremy