EQ Blog Category: Leadership

I’ve heard it said that you cannot visit Africa and not be affected and I knew it was true on my first visit 2 years ago, but now coming back to Lagos, Nigeria, I know it once again. I’ve spent the week working with warm, wonderful, ‘passionate’ Nigerian leaders who have such a sincere desire for change that it inspires me. I get excited thinking about the changes they will make and honoured to be part of it. I sometimes have to pinch myself. I have the honour of spending the week with these incredibly bright, insightful, dedicated people living my passion for facilitating learning in an absolutely fascinating world of wonder – and I’m almost embarrassed to say I get paid for it ;-) It never ceases to amaze me how “Leading with Emotional Intelligence” resonates as the solution to organizational effectiveness in organizations everywhere in the world that I’ve been so far. Sometimes the discussions here in Nigeria get so fired up with passionate viewpoints flying around the room that I get a little worried. (Actually, I don’t really get that worried. I’m just prone to hyperbole – I exaggerate – a lot, practically all the time ;-) Suffice it to say I never see that kind of passion in the training room in North America – or anywhere else in the world for that matter. It’s very refreshing. Stay tuned for photos I plan to post on my EITC Facebook page – or maybe somewhere else. I haven’t really decided yet.

My hosts and partners at STI Consulting, Abiodun, Keji, Olabisi, N’kechi, and Nicholas were awesome hosts – I thank you for all your warm hospitality and royal treatment. I look forward to our next opportunity to work together and courses we will offer together in Toronto, Accra, Dubai, and Johannesburg.

Now back to ‘head office’ to get ready for the next course, the Toronto EQ-i Certification Course July 14-16, immediately followed by “The Advanced Leadership Development Course” – a high level 4 day leadership course for senior executives based on the concepts of emotional intelligence in Toronto July 19-22.

We just wrapped the Ottawa EQ-i Certification Course and I’m sitting at the airport waiting to board my plane for the west. What wonderful people I have the privilege to work with! I continue to marvel at the talented, experienced, knowledgeable people who sign up for the EQ-i Certification Course. These participants are seasoned managers and leaders involved in leadership course design/delivery, program management, and leadership coaching all with the goal of assisting the most senior government employees in Canada to be better leaders. Most participants work for our very own Canada School of Public Service and, from what I can see, they do an incredible job of ensuring that our senior bureaucrats have the tools and resources available to be the best leaders they can be. They work with leaders all over Canada and the rest of the world in Canadian embassies and foreign offices and are equally comfortable training and coaching in either of our official languages. They work with all branches of the military, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and all government divisions and departments at many levels. In my mind they are quite amazing people and a pleasure to work with.

Despite the mind-boggling 34 degree heat (Wednesday – it cooled off slightly past two days), Ottawa was absolutely lovely – what a beautiful city! I look forward to my return.