A Socially Intelligent Leader

In recent times it has been discovered that certain actions of the leaders are affecting the chemistry in the brains of leaders as well as their followers. The researchers found that the leader- follower relationship is not about two independent minds reacting to each other, rather it is about two individual minds fusing into a single system. So they believe that because of this ability, great leaders have a powerful influence on their followers.

“In order to be a good leader, there are two things to remember. Lead from the Front and always set the Example. From these two leadership principles, everything else will fall into place.”

In the problem analysis phase of effective decision making, group members should recognize any obstacle that may arise that needs to be improved or changed and determine the characteristics, magnitude, and possible cause(s) of that obstacle confronting them. This phase lays the groundwork for what the group should be prepared for as they work together (Hirokawa & Salazar, 1999 p. 170).After analyzing the problem, the group should then discuss and establish goals and objectives in order to generate proposed solutions of

One of the things that helped me grow as a leader is the topics of the essays I wrote. I wrote about inspiration and motivation, the animal I am (owl), magnanimity, integrity, and How Full is Your Bucket. By writing an essay on inspiration and motivation I learned Motivational leadership is being able to inspire people to go above and beyond their best. Leaders also need to inspire him/herself, to have the capability to be kind to the people they’re working with. You need to be respectful, because your team will work much better when they know that they have your respect and with respect they will get motivated to work better. You also need to listen to your team, because sometimes you need to step back and let someone else talk so they can participate. When writing about what animal I am, I really went deep into who I am and what is my leadership style. I learned an owl views conflicts as problems to be solved. The owl confronts the problem, seeking solutions that will satisfy everyone involved. I see myself as an owl most of the time because as a leader, you need to be able to stop a problem and make it better. When I was writing and researching about magnanimity I learned to never brags about my work or do anything for money. I do it with a great heart, noble mind, and a generous spirit. You make sure everyone in the committee has equal praise, instead of one person taking all the credit. When I was writing about how

Think about the quote: “How you think about leadership will strongly influence how you practice leadership.” Peter Northouse

Team has to agree on the methods to which conflicts can be resolved within the group, this has to be addressed as soon as possible to enhance team cohesion and progress team effort towards achieving its goals.

During my senior design project tenure at Texas A&M, I had the opportunity to work with a team of students that had strong personalities. I believe that I exhibited traits of mindfulness, respect and leadership during this period. Though my teammates were generally positive and kind-hearted, it was still surprising when certain individuals would take great pride in knowing a simple piece of information, all the while stepping over you to look good in front of a sponsor. Oftentimes a decent piece of advice on my end would be used by a teammate to uplift their own standing. True, it was a common occurrence of the practical world in life, but I realized that I did not have it in me to walk over others in order to obtain success. I learned to become more assertive, yet maintain my sense of integrity and give credit to others for their ideas and achievements. I believe a leader exhibits such qualities. While being aware of themselves, the leader is able to rise above and treat individuals with respect and not as a means to an end. Similarly, I believe it is important to respect people based on the content of what they say, rather than how smartly they say something.

During the group work in the course it was apparent that a few traits stood out that would help a leader effectively lead the team. First, the leader must understand the project and be able to communicate that to the team members to improve commitment and ensure quality. Second, the team should have common goals as we set forth in our team charter. This provides measurable metrics which will help identify if the team is effective. Third, accountability is a priority from the very beginning. Everyone needs to know their part and the consequences if they are unable to meet the expectations set out by the group. Lastly, the leader must be able to create an environment of open communication to enable team members to give and receive feedback that will enhance the quality of the project.

The team leader’s ability to identify, understand and correct any dysfunctional teams is also an important process to stay productive. There are three types of dysfunctional teams (MCMANUS, 2014) the “war zone” team is an environment where everyone is watching their backs and jockeying for position behind closed doors. There is usually a struggle for power and is generally a very completive environment between team members. The “love fest” team is heavily focused on

I have learned throughout my career in the Navy and my master’s program at Old Dominion University, leaders come in all shapes and sizes. Leadership is a trait some individuals are born with and yet it is a skill one can learn, polish, and continually improve upon. No matter the case, in order for one to become a well balanced instructional leader, one must have a central focus of learning rather than teaching, know how to balance being a supervisor and evaluator, and finally, they must encourage and develop professional growth throughout the organizations culture.

You will undoubtedly find yourself in numerous leadership situations during your professional career. Accordingly, you should understand that:

It is crucial for leaders to gain knowledge about what their leadership role requires and learn as much as possible about

Whenever I am pushed forward to become a leader, there are many responsibilities I have to think about. Personally, I take everyone’s opinions into consideration and

From Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela’s charisma, to Winston Churchill and Martin Luther King’s intelligence and Steve Jobs’ analytical nature, there can be as numerous ways to lead as there are leaders (Crossman, 2010). Leadership is a hot debate both in the business world and other areas of the society. Throughout the world's, there have been as many leadership models as there have been their commentators (Burns & Peltason, 1966). Fortunately, psychologists and businesspersons have established useful frameworks that refer to the main ways of leadership.

In Social Intelligence and the Biology of Leadership, Boyatzis and Goleman provide the biological evidence that supports their theory that social intelligence is a set of interpersonal competencies that are required in order to be an effective leader. Their support for their theory is derived from research completed by neuroscientists who have determined that the action of certain of neurons in the brain; specifically mirror neurons, spindle cells, and oscillators, show that positive behaviour exhibited by a leader will without doubt be mirrored by subordinates. Boyatzis and Goleman briefly look at the effect gender and stress might have on social intelligence, while also outlining their idea of the seven major qualities of a social intelligent leader. Throughout the article, it is stated that social intelligence is something that not only occurs naturally in select individuals, but with hard work and persistence it may be obtained through changes made to the behaviours of any leader.