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

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