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The Lowdown on Social Intelligence
... Although emotion can be communicated through the whole body (e.g., through posture and movement), it is the face that is considered the most important tool for communicating emotion, as facial expressions have the ability to convey a diverse range of emotional and intentional states (Schibach, et al., 2008). Research indicates that this communication of emotions can influence the behavior of others in the social interaction (Szameitat et al., 2009;Veronesi, 2009). For instance, research shows that human observers of all races, cultures, and ages (after four months of age) have a tendency to automatically imitate the facial expressions and gestures of others (Schibach et al., 2008;Szameitate et al., 2009;Warren et al., 2006). ...
... As cognitive processing tends to be enhanced by reward, and neural activity benefits from predominantly approach-motivational goals, it is not surprising that humans thrive in social environments where most social interactions are based on communication associated with positive emotion (Kühn et al., 2011;Warren et al., 2006). Research shows that effective leaders are those who facilitate opportunities for laughter in their workplace, with superior leaders creating three times more opportunities for laughter than non-superior leaders (Veronesi, 2009). Laughter often occurs alongside smiling faces, as research indicates that facial mimicry activates the inferior part of the left precentral gyrus, a region associated with the perception of emotional vocalization (i.e., laughter) (Schilbach et al., 2008). ...
Introducing BrainWise Leadership
The complexity and speed of change inherent in the health care sector today has magnified the importance of great leadership. Practical application of neuroscience affords leaders the ability to be more influential in their organisations as well as contribute to the overall wellbeing of the workplace.
BrainWise Leadership: Practical neuroscience to survive and thrive at work by Connie Henson and Pieter Rossouw, articulates a framework for effective leadership underpinned by neuroscience.
Comprising three elements: individual brain fitness, cultivating healthy relationships and creating a high performance culture, BrainWise leadership provides a foundation that enables leaders to evaluate and enhance their own approach to leading.
Elements of BrainWise Leadership
Individual brain fitness is necessary for enhancing thinking capability and ensuring strong individual output. Like physical health, brain fitness can be improved at any age when leaders have a sense for how their own brain operates and what is needed to optimise functioning. This book begins by linking basic neuroanatomy and functioning with normal work behaviour and typical challenges and then describes a path for building brain fitness for self and others within the workplace.
Building on individual fitness, BrainWise leaders focus their efforts on cultivating the right kind of relationships. They understand that organisations that leverage the synergy of their people are more effective. BrainWise Leadership dissects the building blocks of relationships, highlights common mis-steps that lead to disengagement and explores methods for ‘thinking together’.
Emphasising the significance of long-term positive results, BrainWise Leadership highlights how leaders can optimise organisational performance by creating conditions and organisational culture that is informed by neuroscience. This third element of BrainWise Leadership illuminates the importance for individuals to have a sense of safety, control in their working environment as a foundation for effective performance. Moreover this book highlights the importance of creating an enriched environment to encourage innovation, maintain individual fitness, support healthy relationships and ultimately achieve sustainable results for the business.
Bridging science and real-world challenges
Complex problem solving and strategic planning are among the most essential competencies for leaders. Recent neuroscience provides important guidance as to how leaders can harness the brainpower within their organisations to address these issues without getting derailed by groupthink, distractions or common thinking errors. The second part of this book details a field-tested model and toolset to equip leaders to be more effective when working in ambiguous, uncertain and rapidly changing circumstances.
Deep science balanced with real-life case studies and practical techniques enables the reader to gain insights not only about what to do to be a more influential leader but also understand why a particular method or process works. The application of science to everyday challenges faced by managers provides guidance to leaders as to how to modify behaviour to be consistent with the principles of neuroscience rather than wasting time trying to work against human nature.
... There is still a great deal to be known about social intelligence. Science and technology will continue to advance our thinking about SI [12]. More information on social intelligence is available in the books in [13,14] and other books available on Amazon.com. ...
Social intelligence refers to the ability to build relationships successfully and navigates social environments. It is about figuring out the best way to get along with others. It is the ability to adequately understand and evaluate one’s own behavior and the behavior of others. It is the ability to get along well with others and win their cooperation. It is the key to life and career success. This paper provides a primer to social intelligence.
... Eighty-three articles addressed the theme that EI is a key component of developing medical leaders, and most of these articles were expert recommendations endorsing EI in various health care contexts. Many authors endorsed EI as an important component of leadership development for physicians in general, [19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37] for successfully navigating the business of medicine for physician executives, [38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48] in academic settings, [49][50][51] for developing effective social networks in health care, 52 as a leadership component across specialties, [53][54][55][56][57][58][59][60][61][62][63][64][65] and as a way of partnering with patients. 66,67 Two studies (1 a pilot 68 and the other a qualitative study 69 ) suggested that developing EI could transform the seemingly ...
This review evaluates the current understanding of emotional intelligence (EI) and physician leadership, exploring key themes and areas for future research.
We searched the literature using PubMed, Google Scholar, and Business Source Complete for articles published between 1990 and 2012. Search terms included physician and leadership, emotional intelligence, organizational behavior, and organizational development. All abstracts were reviewed. Full articles were evaluated if they addressed the connection between EI and physician leadership. Articles were included if they focused on physicians or physicians-in-training and discussed interventions or recommendations.
We assessed articles for conceptual rigor, study design, and measurement quality. A thematic analysis categorized the main themes and findings of the articles.
The search produced 3713 abstracts, of which 437 full articles were read and 144 were included in this review. Three themes were identified: (1) EI is broadly endorsed as a leadership development strategy across providers and settings; (2) models of EI and leadership development practices vary widely; and (3) EI is considered relevant throughout medical education and practice. Limitations of the literature were that most reports were expert opinion or observational and studies used several different tools for measuring EI.
EI is widely endorsed as a component of curricula for developing physician leaders. Research comparing practice models and measurement tools will critically advance understanding about how to develop and nurture EI to enhance leadership skills in physicians throughout their careers.
This chapter provides an introduction to social intelligence and its ramifications. Social intelligence, or street smarts or people skills, is the ability to understand and manage men and women, boys and girls, and to act wisely in human relations or social situations. It is about figuring out the best way to get along with others. It is the ability to adequately understand and evaluate one’s own behavior and the behavior of others. It is the ability to get along well with others and win their cooperation. It is the key to life and career success.
Unlabelled:
A decade ago in these pages, Goleman published his highly influential article on emotional intelligence and leadership. Now he, a cochair of the Consortium for Research on Emotional Intelligence in Organizations, and Boyatzis, a professor at Case Western, extend Goleman's original concept using emerging research about what happens in the brain when people interact. Social intelligence, they say, is a set of interpersonal competencies, built on specific neural circuits, that inspire people to be effective. The authors describe how the brain's mirror neurons enable a person to reproduce the emotions she detects in others and, thereby, have an instant sense of shared experience. Organizational studies document this phenomenon in contexts ranging from face-to-face performance reviews to the daily personal interactions that help a leader retain prized talent. Other social neurons include spindle cells, which allow leaders to quickly choose the best way to respond to someone, and oscillators, which synchronize people's physical movements. Great leaders, the authors believe, are those whose behaviors powerfully leverage this complex system of brain interconnectedness. In a handy chart, the authors share their approach to assessing seven competencies that distinguish socially intelligent from socially unintelligent leaders. Their specific advice to leaders who need to strengthen their social circuitry: Work hard at altering your behavior. They share an example of an executive who became socially smarter by embracing a change program that comprised a 360-degree evaluation, intensive coaching by an organizational psychologist, and long-term collaboration with a mentor.
The results:
stronger relationships with higher-ups and subordinates, better performance of her unit, and a big promotion.