| The ability to exercise intellectual intelligence and think in | | | | change leader in addressing the territory of change. |
| terms of abstract concepts and models is extremely | | | | A big theme of "emotional intelligence" and what |
| useful in change management. This can be thought of | | | | Goleman calls "Primal Leadership" is that the leader's |
| in terms of the conceptual "map" of change. The ability | | | | emotions are "contagious". Goleman speaks of the |
| to employ emotional intelligence and empathise and | | | | leader's emotions "infecting" the organisation - an |
| see and feel things from the other guy's perspective is | | | | interesting choice of words - he doesn't say |
| equally important as it employs direct knowledge of | | | | "affecting". I was taken by surprise when I first read |
| the experience or "territory" of change. A very | | | | about research by Goleman [and colleagues] into the |
| necessary aspect of the transition that people make | | | | impact of the leader's emotional performance on |
| when they are promoted from an active operational | | | | organisational performance: 70% of the emotional |
| role to a management role is a degree of detachment. | | | | climate and 20-30% of organisational performance - |
| Unfortunately too many executives become so | | | | these are big numbers! |
| detached from the day-to-day territory of everyday | | | | - What's your personal territory and experience of all |
| work at the frontline that they lose the ability to | | | | this? |
| empathise. | | | | - How do you feel you measure up to these |
| William Bridges suggests that this detachment from | | | | standards of behaviour? |
| the territory [so often defended as important to remain | | | | - What emotional climate do you create? |
| 'strategic'] actually causes these executives to lose | | | | - Do you see any connection between your emotional |
| touch with the realities of the territory to the extent | | | | states and the performance of your organisation? |
| that they just assume that people can and will | | | | - Who in your team of direct reports would most |
| acquiesce to the organisational changes that they | | | | benefit [performance -wise] by a change in the |
| seek to impose on them. However, Kotter, Bridges and | | | | emotional dimension of your behaviour? |
| other thought leaders have shown that this failure to | | | | John Kotter also makes the point that a good way of |
| address the territory is an important cause of failure in | | | | addressing the territory of change is by telling visual |
| organisational change initiatives. Furthermore, they | | | | stories with high emotional impact. He uses the |
| suggest that the greater the human impact of the | | | | illustration of Martin Luther King who did not address |
| proposed organisational change the greater the need | | | | the crowd in front of the Lincoln Memorial with the |
| for attention to the territorial frontline impact. | | | | words: 'I have a great strategy' and then proceed to |
| It is my experience that whilst many executives have | | | | illustrate it with 5 good reasons why it was a great |
| the objectivity and emotional detachment to function | | | | strategy. As we all know, he uttered those famous |
| strategically, they all too frequently lack the | | | | words: "I have a dream," and then he illustrated and |
| "counter-balancing" emotional intelligence to understand | | | | explained to the people what his dream was - and he |
| the human impact of their strategic decisions. It is also | | | | did this in a way that was full of high emotional impact. |
| my experience that many organisational leaders come | | | | - Have you got so far up the "greasy pole" that you |
| from financial or technical backgrounds and just do not | | | | are in danger of becoming out of touch with the |
| have the required people skills, insight or experience to | | | | impact of how you are on your people? |
| lead their people through the emotional and | | | | - Do you communicate with high emotional impact? |
| psychological impacts of their proposed organisational | | | | - Does your communication pass the "Martin Luther |
| changes. | | | | King Test"? |
| What they do not realise is that lack of attention to, | | | | - How does this constant focus on the need for |
| and connection with, the territory impedes or | | | | emotional connection and emotional impact on your |
| jeopardises the realisation of the organisational benefits | | | | people make you feel? |
| that they have envisaged in their strategic map. In my | | | | - Are you in touch with the territory of the change |
| view, the concepts of "emotional intelligence" sets the | | | | initiative you are mapping? |
| bar very high in terms of what is expected of a | | | | |