What I’ve been up to lately

Let’s start back at the Chicago International Conference on Emotional Intelligence June 30, July 1 as we’ve got some catching up to do.
It was a fabulous conference! I loved seeing old friends, okay, so not necessarily so old, but the real pioneers of EI/EQ development, many of whom I met at the first international conference on emotional intelligence, coincidently in Chicago, in 1999. The Key Note speakers were awesome; Jim Kouzes (of the Leadership Challenge and many other leadership books and programs, who married a former certification course participant of mine, who is now Tae Kouzes, a talented and brilliant OD consultant in her own right), Peter Salovey (co-coiner of the term “emotional intelligence”) and David Caruso (co-author of the MSCEIT) and many wonderful breakout session speakers – unfortunately I couldn’t hear all of them!
As for me, I presented on Cultural Infuences on EQ and used the Hofstede Cultural Dimensions and my own experience to highlight some considerations when using the concept of EI/EQ in other cultures. I asked people to exchange business cards with people they had not yet met. I then explained how cards are exchanged in Asia – a continent we sometimes view as lower in EQ (we also have some EQ-i data that some use to support this idea – don’t get me started). I then asked them to exchange cards again with a new person using the ‘Asian method’ of presenting with 2 hands and high regard for the content of card. They commented that the Asian method was more respectful and allowed for more time for connection – so much for Asians being less emotionally intelligent ;-)
Will you be at the 2009 Toronto Conference? Register now at www.mhs.com/icei/
Here are some of the projects I’m currently involved in that I’m excited about:
- Improving organizational effectiveness in First Nations’ (Native or Aboriginal Canadian) organizations in BC
- Ongoing work in Calgary in the petroleum industry (we now have a Calgary telephone number: 403-775-0041)
- Work with Nexen Inc., Canadian CGA Association, the City of Richmond, Abbotsford Police Department, Abbostford Community Services, Fraser Valley Health Authority, BC Provincial Government, and EI China in Beijing
Meet Mike Walters, leadership coach
One of the biggest problems in workplace performance: lack of awareness of impact
Navigating post-pandemic change (yes, more) with cautious optimism
Problem solving is the enemy of empathy
Healthy self-regard in effective leaders
Challenging the myth that resilience is simply personal fortitude
Talking, thinking, practicing: how to focus on emotional intelligence
Culture eats strategy