Emotional Intelligence

What is Emotional Intelligence? Psychologists John D. Mayer and Peter Salovey

define Emotional Intelligence as the ability to monitor ones own and others
feelings and emotions, to discriminate among them and to use this information to
guide ones thinking and actions. Being a leader is more than strategy, it involves
a true understanding of your emotions and those around you. Without this, bad
communication, misunderstandings and mistakes can be made. Its important to
note understanding others feelings is just as important as knowing your own.
Being aware of your reactions and expressions toward others issues, ideas or
complaints is the first step to developing Emotional Intelligence. In many
organizations, interacting with superiors and peers is a part of every day life.
Emotional Intelligence is the ability to manage these interactions to improve
relationships, build trust and create a teamwork culture. A leader must have the
skills to handle barriers and interpersonal issues. Why Emotional
Intelligence Matters Without Emotional Intelligence, a person can come off as
arrogant, rigid or selfish. These traits can slow or halt productivity and creativity in
any organization. Since trust is crucial for a leader, being perceived incorrectly can
damage relationships and trust. If those working with their leader lack trust in
them, the motivation to work and implement new ideas or strategies dissipates.
This can affect retention and employee satisfaction. If the people you work with
believe they cannot approach you because you appear volatile or rigid, the
expression of ideas and an organizations improvement will be affected negatively.
Soft skills, like Emotional Intelligence, are important for leadership development
because a large part of any persons job is dealing with people. Whether those
people are co-workers or clients, the ability to communicate is a key to success.
Developing Emotional Intelligence is essential for professional development.
Improving listening skills, decreasing conflict and controlling impulsive reactions
are key developments that lead to professional achievement. Many studies have
been conducted on Emotional Intelligence. What might be surprising to some is
that high IQ does not mean high EI. A person with the combination of technical
skills and soft skills has proven to be successful in a leadership position.
Developing Emotional Intelligence There are many ways to begin developing your
Emotional Intelligence. Education is the best way to begin. Attending seminars,
reading books and taking courses are some of the most effective ways to start the
process. Because everyone learns different, the best way to begin your Emotional
Intelligence development may be to try a diverse range of learning opportunities
and then focus on the sources that work the best for you. The Internet is a great
resource to finding what you need to get started. From online programs to articles
from websites, its easy to find the resources you need to become a great leader.
Why Millennials Need to Develop Emotional Intelligence While developing soft
skills is essential for leaders at any age or station, I think its especially important
for the Millennial generation to improve on this skill. Because of inaccurate
perceptions Millennials receive, Millennials need to have the soft skills to combat
these types of stereotypes. To become the future leaders, both hard and soft skills
must be fully developed. Emotional Intelligence is a key trait that makes a well-
rounded and successful leader. -

The concept of emotional intelligence has become a very hot topic of

psychological research in recent years, especially in regards to how it
affects todays workforce. Businesses are essentially people, so
anything that impacts the effectiveness of peoples minds also impacts
the businesses they run or work for. In fact, many experts now believe
that a persons emotional intelligence quotient (EQ) may be more
important than their IQ and is certainly a better predictor of success,
quality of relationships, and overall happiness.

Its interesting to note how the concept of emotional intelligence has

evolved over the years, from its inception as something called social
intelligence all the way back in the 1930s, to emotional strength in
the mid-20th century, to its current terminology, emotional
intelligence.

But whatever we call it, emotional intelligence is, in laymans terms,

our level of ability to:

Recognize and understand our emotions and reactions (self-

awareness)

Manage, control, and adapt our emotions, mood, reactions, and

responses (self-management)
Harness our emotions to motivate ourselves to take appropriate
action, commit, follow-through, and work toward the achievement of
our goals (motivation)

Discern the feelings of others, understand their emotions, and utilize

that understanding to relate to others more effectively (empathy)

Build relationships, relate to others in social situations, lead, negotiate

conflict, and work as part of a team (social skills)

Emotional intelligence is defined by the ability to understand and manage our emotions
and those around us. This quality gives individuals a variety of skills, such as the ability
to manage relationships, navigate social networks, influence and inspire others. Every
individual possesses different levels, but in order for individuals to become effective
leaders, theyll need a high level of emotional intelligence. In todays workplace, it has
become a highly important factor for success, influencing productivity, efficiency and
team collaboration. The following are important reasons why leaders should cultivate
their emotional intelligence:

Emotional intelligence (EI) is the ability to understand and manage your

own emotions, and those of the people around you. People with a high
degree of emotional intelligence know what they're feeling, what their
emotions mean, and how these emotions can affect other people.

For leaders, having emotional intelligence is essential for success. After all,
who is more likely to succeed a leader who shouts at his team when he's
under stress, or a leader who stay in control, and calmly assesses the
situation?

1. Self-Awareness

Leaders with emotional intelligence are self-aware and able to recognize emotions as
they happen. This is a vital skill for leaders, as it helps them obtain a clear
understanding of their strengths and weaknesses without any obstruction. In addition,
great leaders are able to perceive emotions as they arise in response to an action or
situation. As a result, they are able better able to address problems and handle any
future complications.

If you're self-aware, you always know how you feel, and you know how your
emotions and your actions can affect the people around you. Being self-
aware when you're in a leadership position also means having a clear
picture of your strengths and weaknesses , and it means behaving
with humility .
So, what can you do to improve your self-awareness?

Keep a journal Journals help you improve your self-awareness. If you spend
just a few minutes each day writing down your thoughts, this can move you to a
higher degree of self-awareness.
Slow down When you experience anger or other strong emotions, slow down
to examine why. Remember, no matter what the situation, you can always
choose how you react to it. (Our article on Managing Your Emotions at
Work will help you understand what your emotions are telling you.)

2. Emotional Management

The prior skill gives leaders the ability to stay aware of their feelings. The next step is
learning how to manage those emotions. Leaders with high emotional intelligence are
able to regulate themselves and stay in control. These individuals are unlikely to rush
headlong into hasty decisions or let their anger take over their behavior. It is vital that
individuals in managerial positions keep their emotions in check, as it will help them stay
in a respected position.

3. Effective Communication

What is the benefit of emotional awareness and management if you are unable to clearly
express your thoughts? Luckily, individuals with emotional intelligence also have the skill
of effective communication. They are able to clearly convey directions and know what to
say in order to inspire and motivate others. An important skill for leaders, communication
can be a deciding factor in whether the team listens or not.

4. Social Awareness
Leaders with emotional intelligence are well tuned to the emotions of others and are able
to pick up on what is going on around them. They are able to sympathize with others by
putting themselves in the employees shoes and giving helpful feedback. This is a critical
skill for leaders, who work closely to inspire and motivate a team. If the leader is unable
to empathize with their employees, he or she will surely find it difficult to obtain respect
or loyalty.

5. Conflict Resolution

In the workplace, theres always the risk that emerging conflicts can threaten or disrupt
efficiency and productivity. However, leaders with emotional intelligence are equipped to
handle conflicts and provide resolution. With this skill, leaders can quickly placate any
disagreements that arise between employees, customers, and other parties. In
conjunction with the above skills, leaders can use their emotional intelligence to develop
a more effective workplace.

According to Daniel Goleman, an American psychologist who helped to

popularize EI, there are five main elements of emotional intelligence:
1. Self-awareness.
2. Self-regulation.
3. Motivation.
4. Empathy.
5. Social skills.
The more that you, as a leader, manage each of these areas, the higher your
emotional intelligence. So, let's look at each element in more detail and
examine how you can grow as a leader.

Emotional Intelligence in Leadership

1. Self-awareness

2. Self-regulation
Leaders who regulate themselves effectively rarely verbally attack others,
make rushed or emotional decisions, stereotype people, or compromise
their values. Self-regulation is all about staying in control.

This element of emotional intelligence, according to Goleman, also covers a

leader's flexibility and commitment to personal accountability .
So, how can you improve your ability to self-regulate?

Know your values Do you have a clear idea of where you absolutely will not
compromise? Do you know what values are most important to you? Spend
some time examining your "code of ethics." If you know what's most important
to you, then you probably won't have to think twice when you face a moral or
ethical decision you'll make the right choice.
Hold yourself accountable If you tend to blame others when something goes
wrong, stop. Make a commitment to admit to your mistakes and to face the
consequences, whatever they are. You'll probably sleep better at night, and
you'll quickly earn the respect of those around you.
Practice being calm The next time you're in a challenging situation, be very
aware of how you act. Do you relieve your stress by shouting at someone else?
Practice deep-breathing exercises to calm yourself. Also, try to write down all
of the negative things you want to say, and then rip it up and throw it away.
Expressing these emotions on paper (and not showing them to anyone!) is better
than speaking them aloud to your team. What's more, this helps you challenge
your reactions to ensure that they're fair!

3. Motivation
Self-motivated leaders work consistently toward their goals, and they have
extremely high standards for the quality of their work.

How can you improve your motivation?

Re-examine why you're doing your job It's easy to forget what you really
love about your career. So, take some time to remember why you wanted this
job. If you're unhappy in your role and you're struggling to remember why you
wanted it, try the Five Whys technique to find the root of the problem.
Starting at the root often helps you look at your situation in a new way.
And make sure that your goal statements are fresh and energizing. For more on
this, see our article on Goal Setting .
Know where you stand Determine how motivated you are to lead.
OurLeadership Motivation Assessment can help you see clearly how
motivated you are in your leadership role. If you need to increase your
motivation to lead, it directs you to resources that can help.
 Be hopeful and find something good Motivated leaders are
usually optimistic , no matter what problems they face. Adopting this mindset
might take practice, but it's well worth the effort.
Every time you face a challenge, or even a failure, try to find at least one good
thing about the situation. It might be something small, like a new contact, or
something with long-term effects, like an important lesson learned. But there's
almost always something positive, if you look for it.

4. Empathy
For leaders, having empathy is critical to managing a successful team or
organization. Leaders with empathy have the ability to put themselves in
someone else's situation. They help develop the people on their team,
challenge others who are acting unfairly, give constructive feedback, and
listen to those who need it.

If you want to earn the respect and loyalty of your team, then show them
you care by being empathic.

How can you improve your empathy?

Put yourself in someone else's position It's easy to support your own point
of view. After all, it's yours! But take the time to look at situations from other
people's perspectives. See our article on Perceptual Positions for a useful
technique for doing this.
Pay attention to body language Perhaps when you listen to someone, you
cross your arms, move your feet back and forth, or bite your lip. This body
language tells others how you really feel about a situation, and the message
you're giving isn't positive! Learning to read body language can be a real asset
in a leadership role, because you'll be better able to determine how someone
truly feels. This gives you the opportunity to respond appropriately.
Respond to feelings You ask your assistant to work late again. And
although he agrees, you can hear the disappointment in his voice. So, respond
by addressing his feelings. Tell him you appreciate how willing he is to work
extra hours, and that you're just as frustrated about working late. If possible,
figure out a way for future late nights to be less of an issue (for example, give
him Monday mornings off).

5. Social skills
Leaders who do well in the social skills element of emotional intelligence
are great communicators. They're just as open to hearing bad news as good
news, and they're expert at getting their team to support them and be
excited about a new mission or project.

Leaders who have good social skills are also good at managing change and
resolving conflicts diplomatically. They're rarely satisfied with leaving
things as they are, but they don't sit back and make everyone else do the
work: They set an example with their own behavior.

So, how can you build social skills?

Learn conflict resolution Leaders must know how to resolve conflicts

between their team members, customers, or vendors. Learning conflict
resolution skills is vital if you want to succeed.
Improve your communication skills How well do you communicate?
Ourcommunication quiz will help you answer this question, and it will give
useful feedback on what you can do to improve.
Learn how to praise others As a leader, you can inspire the loyalty of your
team simply by giving praise when it's earned. Learning how to praise others
is a fine art, but well worth the effort.
Emotional intelligence (EI) refers to the collection of abilities used to identify,
understand, control and assess the emotions of the self and others.

The following are 10 important reasons why emotional intelligence matters:

1. Compassion
Leaders possessing emotional intelligence are not afraid of the emotions of others. They
do not manage just from the bottom line. Their style is about growing an organization
that cares about their employees and anyone who conducts business with them.
Everyone is treated with consideration.

2. Effective Communication
Leaders who share their vision or strategy often with those around them, so everyone is
on the same page, lead a more efficient workplace. Motivation comes from effective
communication. Clarity and consistency in stating a thought or directive gives employees
the ability to understand what is expected or needed from them. This extends itself to
being able to listen without judgment, keeping emotions under control and to ask
questions when necessary to seek to understand. People have to believe in their leader,
and communication is a key to that credibility.

3. Self-Awareness
Clarity on strengths and weaknesses is important for any leader to recognize. With self-
awareness a leader can focus on the strengths he or she possesses, while hiring
individuals who perform well in areas where the leader lacks astuteness. Having
awareness includes understanding others and promoting their strengths. If a leader lacks
awareness, they may buy into their own press clippings and take crazy risks, without
introspection; or, they may fail to connect their actions and words, and be be potentially
demoralizing to their subordinates.

4. Authenticity
Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is
strength; mastering yourself is true power. If you realize that you have enough, you are
truly rich.

(Lao Tzu)

Knowing oneself and acting from that truth draws people to a leader. Being real, making
decisions that are in alignment with how a leader truly operates rarely requires second-
guessing. Such a leader must understand their own values and be consistent in applying
them. As part of that, the leader needs to possess the courage to hold true to them,
without losing sight of reality.

5. Respect
Respect is not just about others; the emotionally intelligent leader practices self-respect.
How a leader treats themselves matters, because it is reflected back in the people he or
she manages. A leader who respects themselves and others doesn't speak disrespectfully
at any time, even when mistakes happen. The way to do get the best out of people is not
through demeaning behavior, but by treating all people the same in every situation.

6. Leading With Heart

Leaders who have passion show their emotions and vulnerability, and they connect with
many employees on an emotional level, too.

Many leaders are analytical, but if they are just cold and calculating, there may be too
much distance between them and their subordinates to truly be on the same team.
Dictatorships don't work in a company, especially as a long term solution to employee
engagement or loyalty. Although, this doesn't mean a leader with heart is a pushover or
puts up with inappropriate behavior (or sloppy work) either, it means addressing a
subordinate with warmth. Detached directness without empathy is brutal.

7. Sense of Humor
If a leader is serious all the time, then it creates a very austere environment. Some
leaders are afraid to be light, because they want to be taken seriously. It's usually a sign
of insecurity. An emotionally intelligent leader presents balance. People tend to work
harder and smarter when there is a sense of fun. Morale is linked to productivity, and as
a leader, this means to instill a positive energy to the workspace.

8. Confidence
As a leader, there will be crisis and calm times when things are not moving forward.
Whatever size the business, it's important to not fall into overwhelm or overreact. People
look to the leader for cues on how to respond to the circumstances and if a leader is
confident while taking care of issues, it will help keep the team feeling the same. Great
leadership is about having the confidence to make decisions and not second guess
them.Those who inspire others to follow into the unknown, do so possessing self-
confidence.

9. Intuition
Intuitive leaders make quick decisions based on a lifetime of accumulated wisdom and
understanding. Leading a team through new territory, without a map, means everything
is uncertain, and the higher the risk, the higher the pressure. Logic is important, but
can't be the only determining factor for making a decision. A leader who trusts his or her
gut will take the necessary measures that inspires others to do the same.

10. Creativity
In a study conducted by IBM, 200 CEO's stated: "Today's business environment is
volatile, uncertain and increasingly complex. Because of this, the ability to create
something that's both novel and appropriate is top of mind." Not all decisions are cut
and dry, it's about being able to deviate from the set course and look outside of the box
for a different option. Collaborative brainstorming with no holds barred can bring an
entirely new and creative solution to a challenge. Innovation is the result of creativity. A
leader who confidently promotes diverse creative thinking, will arrive by taking quantum
leaps that create innovations.
Emotional Intelligence Why
is it Important?
COMMUNICATION BY ROYALE SCUDERI

Why is Emotional Intelligence Important?

Physical Health The ability to take care of our bodies and
especially to manage our stress, which has an incredible impact on our
overall wellness, is heavily tied to our emotional intelligence. Only by
being aware of our emotional state and our reactions to stress in our
lives can we hope tomanage stress and maintain good health.

Mental Well-Being Emotional intelligence affects our attitude

and outlook on life. It can also help to alleviate anxiety and avoid
depression and mood swings. A high level of emotional intelligence
directly correlates to a positive attitude and happier outlook on life.

Relationships By better understanding and managing our

emotions, we are better able to communicate our feelings in a more
constructive way. We are also better able to understand and relate to
those with whom we are in relationships. Understanding the needs,
feelings, and responses of those we care about leads to stronger and
more fulfilling relationships.

Conflict Resolution When we can discern peoples emotions and

empathize with their perspective, its much easier to resolve conflicts
or possibly avoid them before they start. We are also better at
negotiation due to the very nature of our ability to understand the
needs and desires of others. Its easier to give people what they want if
we can perceive what it is.

Success Higher emotional intelligence helps us to be stronger

internal motivators, which can reduce procrastination, increase self-
confidence, and improve our ability to focus on a goal. It also allows us
to create better networks of support, overcome setbacks, and
persevere with a more resilient outlook. Our ability to delay
gratification and see the long-term directly affects our ability to
succeed.

Leadership The ability to understand what motivates others, relate

in a positive manner, and to build stronger bonds with others in the
workplace inevitably makes those with higher emotional intelligence
better leaders. An effective leader can recognize what the needs of his
people are, so that those needs can be met in a way that encourages
higher performance andworkplace satisfaction. An emotionally savvy
and intelligent leader is also able to build stronger teams by
strategically utilizing the emotional diversity of their team members to
benefit the team as a whole.

Emotional intelligence is still not completely understood, but what we

do know is that emotions play a very critical role in the overall quality
of our personal and professional lives, more critical even than our
actual measure of brain intelligence. While tools and technology can
help us to learn and master information, nothing can replace our
ability to learn, manage, and master our emotions and the emotions of
those around us.
Business leaders

1. Jack Ma / Ma Yun: He is the founder and executive chairman of Alibaba Group, a family of
highly successful Internet-based businesses. He is the first mainland Chinese
Ma is a true rags-to-riches
entrepreneur to appear on the cover of Forbes.
story. He grew up poor in communist China, failed his college
entrance exam twice, and was rejected from dozens of jobs,
including one at KFC, before finding success with his third
internet company, Alibaba.
Qualities:2
Desire to learn : At an early age, Ma developed a desire to learn English so he rode his
bike each morning in order to go to a nearby hotel and converse with foreigners. He
would guide them around the city for free in order to practice and improve his
English.[5] He did this for nine years. he was only able to study at a teachers college after
failing the national university entrance exam thrice. Even though he had a low score in
the math portion of the exam, Ma compensated by doing extremely well in
English.Like all great leaders, Ma recognizes that a person is able
to learn the most from obstacles and hardships. They key to
success is persevering and learning from your mistakes. Relying on
his excellent language skills, Ma was able to begin his entrepreneurship by establishing
the first translation and interpretation agency in his hometown Hangzhou. Later, he
constructed the China Yellow Pages, a website publishing information on Chinese
business-related organizations and companies.

Focus on mission, not on money: It was to chase the overall dream and mission of the
company. Thats one of the things he did. He aligned everyone to chase after the goal of
the company, not just chase him as the boss. Hes a very idealistic person. A lot of the
great entrepreneurs, the reason they go so long as they can is that they dont focus on
making the quick money. They look at whats the broader impact the company can have.
In addition to foresight Ma says leaders should be tenacious and
have a clear vision. Knowing what you want to achieve and
having the drive to chase it down will not only put you on the
path to success, it will inspire those around you to work hard for
that common goal. Taking pride in your work and not taking no
for an answer are keys to Mas business philosophy. Ma
understands that no matter how hard you try you will never be
able to convince every single employee, business partner, and
potential investor to trust you or believe what you say. Accepting
that and changing your approach is another key to his massive
 success. Rather than uniting his company under the vision of
one person, he unites them under a common goal. The vision is
more important than the leader.

3. Soar with eagles.

Jack Ma has surrounded himself with the smartest and most capable
and innovative executives and managers he could find. He never
believed that he was an expert at everything and that as a founder he
had earned the right to micromanage every aspect of his business. At
a time when it was very unusual, Ma was open to bringing in foreign
executives to further his goal of blending East and West.

He also befriended Jerry Yang, co-founder of Yahoo, and Masayoshi

Son, chairman of Japanese telecom giant Softbank. Both were early
investors in Alibaba and helped the company grow more quickly.
Yahoo and Softbank were repaid handsomely on IPO day.

Entrepreneurs need to let others have control and should do what is

right for their business not their ego.

When asked what separates a leader from an employee Ma has

gone on record saying Your employee should have superior
technical skills than you. If he doesnt, it means you have hired
the wrong person. Focusing on the skills of employees and
hiring people with the know how to carry out your vision is an
important pillar of any great company.

Marissa Mayer
Marissa Ann Mayer (/mar/;[9] born May 30, 1975) is the current president and CEO of Yahoo!,
a position she has held since July 2012. Previously, she was a long-time executive, usability
leader, and key spokesperson for Google. She joined Google in 1999 as employee number 20
and was the company's first female engineer. Mayer was named to Fortune magazine's annual
list of America's 50 Most Powerful Women in Business in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and
2013. In 2013, she was also named in the Time 100 and became the first woman listed as
number one on Fortune magazine's annual list of the top 40 business stars under 40 years old.
Her tenure at Google involved work on some of the company's most
recognizable and successful products, including Google Maps, Google
Earth, Street View, Google News and Gmail. Known as a fashionista with
an eye for design, Mayer is widely credited for the unique look and feel that
has come to characterize the Google experience.

Qualities:

Passion : All inspiring leaders are passionate about their topic. Mayer was
working from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm. After a workout in the Google gym, Mayer
answered emails until 11:00 pm. A person simply cannot have that energy
unless she is committed to the brand, its products, and is excited about the
potential of that product to change the world. She is strong-willed and has strong
opinions. An employee working under Mayer quotes: "Marissa is a nightmare of a
human being, but she gets things done. If being a good person were necessary to be a
CEO, we wouldn't have Apple ... and lots of other CEO roles would be empty."

Motivation. Inspiring leaders create meaning. Employees, especially young

people, want more than a paycheck, Mayer told me. They want to feel as
though their work has meaning. Mayer isnt just a good listener. Leadership isn't
talking or telling people what to do or how to do it. Leadership is listening. Listen to what is
working. Listen to what is holding employees back and make the necessary changes. To
simplify the bureaucratic process and "make the culture the best version of itself", Mayer
launched a new online program called PB&J. It collects employee complaints, as well as their
votes on problems in the office; if a problem generates at least 50 votes, online management
automatically investigates the matter. Shes a persuasive speaker, telling stories to make an
emotional connection with her audiences

The maverick : Whether you agree or disagree with Mayers actions, she had the guts to
take action and restore Yahoo to relevance while trying to slow its earnings slide against
critics and fierce competition from Google and Facebook. She belives in burnishing her
own profile. People portrayed her as something of a Vulcan-esque data queen
who doesn't trust anything unless it's been A/B tested; a pedant who can
lecture but who hates feedback; and a micromanager who at one point
reportedly had more than two dozen direct reports at Yahoo and inserts
herself into decision-making at every level. She is willing to say what she believes
to be true, which can make her unpopular. She banned her employees on working
from home, instituted a performance review system based on a bell curve ranking of
employees, suggesting that managers rank their employees on a bell curve, with those at the low
end being fired, leading the Silicon Valley tech company in her own
unorthodox way.

Henry ford: (1863- 1947)

Henry Ford (July 30, 1863 April 7, 1947) was an American industrialist, the founder of the Ford
Motor Company, and sponsor of the development of the assembly line technique of mass
production.

Although Ford did not invent the automobile or the assembly line,[1] he developed and
manufactured the first automobile that many middle class Americans could afford.
As owner of the Ford Motor Company, he became one of the richest and best-known people in
the world. He is credited with "Fordism": mass production of inexpensive goods coupled with high
wages for workers. Ford had a global vision, with consumerism as the key to peace. His intense
commitment to systematically lowering costs resulted in many technical and business
innovations, including a franchise system that put dealerships throughout most of North
America and in major cities on six continents.

When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane
takes off against the wind, not with it, was a Ford quote.

3 Leadership Qualities of Henry Ford:

1) He valued human capital
Ford set a terrific example for valuing human capital. Though it was a shock to Wall Street, he increased workers
wages to five dollars a day and instituted an eight-hour workday. He recognized that increasing wages and
offering reasonable hours would serve to retain and motivate employees. Because Ford had lowered his costs
per car, the high wages didnt matter except for making it feasible for more people to buy cars (Iacocca , Inc).
Henry Ford even said There is one rule for the industrialist and that is: make the best quality goods possible at
the lowest cost possible, paying the highest wages possible (Forbes). Such actions were motivating
factors in progressing towards Fords dream.
2) He believed in equality
Henry Fords business decisions in the realm of diversity were a catalyst for the growth of equality in the
workplace. He offered employment to women, African Americans, and disabled individuals long before most
other businesses did so (Forbes). In 1916, Ford employed individuals representing 62 different nationalities. At
that time, the company also employed over 900 people with disabilities. Through the years, Ford went on to set
standards of non-discrimination and equalize opportunities in many ways (Ford).
3) He was emotionally intelligent
Before the term emotionally intelligent was even coined, Henry Ford appeared to embody this quality. His
ability to understand that saving clients money made them feel more valued was a sure sign of emotional
intelligence. He was sensitive to economic needs and took action to respond to customers in ways that showed
he cared. Similarly, he was in-tune with the financial and work life balance needs of employees. Because he
hoped to show appreciation and understanding toward them, he implemented positive wage and shift changes.
Ford even said If there is any one secret of success, it lies in the ability to get the other persons point of view
and see things from that persons angle, as well as your own.