Over the next many weeks, we’ll be presenting a series of leadership and management exercises to help you understand yourself better and to help you become a better leader. This is the first of these exercises. Watch out for them on Mondays as long as I stay organized.
What Drives You?
One of the key factors in emotional intelligence is understanding your emotions. You need to know what drives, angers, motivates, frustrates, and inspires you. By knowing these drivers, you’ll understand why you react the way you do in certain situations. By knowing why you react, you’ll be better able to manage your own emotions and present a controlled and capable exterior in emotional situations.
The Exercise
So here it is, the exercise. Over the next week, pay attention to your emotions. Tune in to the way you are feeling when you’re working, talking to people, or in meetings. As you become aware of those emotions, jot down what was happening and how you were feeling in a little journal. At the end of the week, do some analysis of those feelings. Look for common patterns and identify the things that made you:
- angry
- frustrated
- motivated
- inspired
If you want to learn more about this subject, read Daniel Goleman’s book “Emotional Intelligence” or click here.