Primal Leadership

Primal Leadership

a. What is the relationship between the moods and behaviors of leaders and the moods and behaviors of the followers?

The relationship between the moods and behaviors of leaders and the moods and behaviors of the followers is directly correlated. The article used a great example by saying "emotional intelligence spreads through an organization like electricity through wires." A leaders mood is contagious (mood contagion) to the followers or the organization as a whole and when a leader is in a bad mood it directly effects and reflects on the subordinates. Although the interactions are mostly an unconscious transfer of mood between people, it occurs as a result of individuals' tendency to mimic others' nonverbal behavior and actions.

b. What is the specific impact of high emotional intelligence on leadership effectiveness?

The specific impact of high emotional intelligence on leadership effectiveness reflects performance. Three of the most important aspects of emotional intelligence for a leader's ability to make effective decisions are self-awareness, communication and influence. Influencing subordinates to be positive, goal orientated, and motivated to achieve goals/success is one of the most effective aspects of emotional leadership. Since motivation is key to success, a leaders ability to motivate is extremely important and being emotionally intelligent is detrimental since it plays a key role in determining success both in someone's personal life and in the workplace. The most effective executives display moods and behaviors that match the situation.

c. What are some characteristics of a leader with high emotional intelligence and benefits of an optimistic leader?

An optimistic leader produces more effective results and is more motivational to the people under him. An optimistic leader is the best motivational force because a leaders mood is contagious and makes everyone more positive, which in turn helps to reach goals faster. Also, an optimistic leader who is consistent in his behavior and reactions proves to be less unpredictable and therefore provokes trust. An unpredictable leader most often causes anxiety, which in some cases even turns into fear, both of which negatively affect performance and productivity of employees. Humor, happiness, and laughter are the most contagious because of our open-looped circuits and help us to respond in a happy manner.

d. What is CEO Disease? What is resonance and is it a good or bad thing?

CEO disease is when a leader is under the impression that they have effective emotional leadership skills but their subordinates actually think otherwise. Commonly CEO's put on a "game face" and appears to be optimistic,

...