Leadership Communication. Summary Chapter 6

Leadership Communication
Summary Chapter 6
Developing emotional intelligence and cultural literacy to strengthen leadership communication

Chapter 6 coaches students on how to develop emotional intelligence and cultural literacy to strengthen leadership communication. The following steps are required:

· Appreciating the value of emotional intelligence
· Increasing self-awareness
· Improving non-verbal skills
· Improving listening skills
· Mentoring others and providing feedback
· Understanding the value of cultural literacy
· Using a cultural framework to understand differences

In terms of increasing self-awareness, the authors explain the Myers Briggs Type indicator, a testing tool widely used in business that suggests an individual’s psychological profile. The MBTI consists of four dichotomies, as follows:

· Introvert vs. extravert – how one is energized
· Sensing vs. intuitive – how one interprets the world
· Thinking vs. feeling – how one makes decisions
· Judging vs. perceiving – one’s approach to life and work

The authors introduce a cultural framework concept to develop a sense of competence. The framework includes five cultural variables; context, information flow, power, language, and time.

From my own experience, emotional intelligence is a key success factors for leaders in business. Leadership communication is not possible without an appropriate emotional intelligence component; I have observed many times how very intelligent and well prepared colleagues do not succeed in their professions because they seem to lack the right emotional intelligence content in their approach. I have also observed that emotional intelligence is not a static quality but a dynamic one. As new tools, media, and cultural awareness evolve so does one’s own emotional intelligence capability.