Tune up your EQ

“By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.”

Confucius

Last week’s comments about reflection by Beth Ann Robinson from the Inventing Elephants Blog,Jo Jordan from the Flowing Motion Blog , Steve Roesler from the All Things Workplace Blog and Tori from MindTweaks raised some interesting ideas about reflection.

Here are 3 simple questions to help you think about how you reflect:

1. What reflective tools do you use?

2. Does your blog influence how you reflect?

3. Have you ever changed your reflection type?

To kick things off, here are my answers to these 3 questions.

1. What reflective tools do you use?

Blogs Tune up your EQ and 3 private personal blogs, including a gratitude blog.

Other Tools A mini filofax notebook, as well as ruled paper pads of various sizes. Occasionally, I meditate.

2. Does your blog influence how you reflect?

Writing this blog helps me to become more aware of my thought processes. The discipline of writing helps me to organise my thoughts.

Readers’ comments give me a lot of valuable ideas, information and insights to reflect on. An example is last year’s Essence of Emotional Intelligence presentation and article series, which was based on readers’ comments.

3.Have you ever changed your reflection type?

I reflect more as I grow older.

Looking back ;), I suspect I’ve always been a serial reflector.

I’d like to become a master reflector. It fits my temperament, helps my personal development and is critical to the development of my business.

How About You?

Answer 1 or more of these questions in the comment box, or email me with your response. Write a blog post based on these 3 questions and link back to Tune up your EQ, so we can all see the range of responses.

Thank you, Jo Jordan Flowing Motion Blog and Tori from MindTweaks for suggesting that I dig a little deeper into the topic of reflection.

More Resources

Download The What Type Of Reflector Are You? Presentation In pdf format

Add to Onlywire

Popularity: unranked [?]

Every week, I write 3 original articles that help you improve your Emotional Intelligence. If you're new here, feel free to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

Is your life running at a faster pace in 2008 than last year? Did an extra day in February slow things down for you at all? Will you have to move even faster to make 2008 your best year ever?

Enjoy a little thinking time.

What Is Reflection?

Reflection occurs when you apply conscious thought or consideration to a past activity or experience. Writing a journal is a reflective workout for some. Meditation mellows the minds of many. Prayer strengthens some peoples’ contemplative muscle.

What Type Of A Reflector Are You?

Which of these 5 statements fits you best?

1. I’m busy getting things done. Sitting down and thinking is a waste of time. I don’t “do” reflection.

2. I rarely take a pause. It never changes what I decide to do anyway. I’m a skeptical reflector.

3. Now and again I consciously think about what I can learn from my past experiences. Sometimes it’s worthwhile. I’m an occasional reflector.

4. Every week I stand back from what I’ve done or experienced. It helps make act more effectively. I’m a regular reflector.

5. Every day I deliberately think about my experiences and what I’ve learned. I also schedule monthly, quarterly and annual sessions with myself. I’m serial reflector.

I’m curious to know. Does one of these statements apply to you, or do you describe yourself differently? Please leave a comment, or email me, using the contact form.

To think and learn about reflection, read the Tune up your EQ Reflection article archive.

Add to Onlywire

Popularity: unranked [?]

If a Mensa member shared his top tip for helping you make the most of your IQ, would you want to know more?

Tune your EQ reader, Ray Hobby’s revelation is unusual. It’s sure to get you thinking. He also explains exactly what an emotional intelligence coach CAN’T do for you. Finally, Ray warns why you must approach the results of Emotional Intelligence assessments carefully.

Be sure to read this article at least twice. It’s well worth bookmarking as well. There are lots of valuable insights to help you improve your quality of life .

Flickr Photo Credit:aeu04117.
Creative Commons Attribution License

Ray’s Top Tip

“Perhaps the only tip I would risk offering to anyone is embodied in all the foregoing – as an intrinsic component in ALL that I now do professionally.”

Please – Please – THINK about your situation – no one can do that for you, not even the ‘best’ coach […whoever and whatever s/he is]. “

” A ‘good’ coach will NOT provide all your answers to all of your problems, but s/he may ask [some of] the right questions to enable you to find ‘a route’ so that you find your own answers.”

“With integrity you will then be able to find some of the other questions to facilitate the route so you can find more “about your [real] self.”

“Interestingly, as I have already said, it is important to recognise that IQ levels are not the full story …BUT the use of the word ‘integrity’ is so very important.”

“IQ tests – particularly the best [Cattell and Wechsler, for instance] - are so well structured [after some 80 years or so of development] that they are not easy to fool or fiddle. The IQ value is usually pretty accurate and taken from the content – you either know a synonym or an antonym …or you don’t - or follow a syllogistic link …or you can’t. So, an IQ number ‘suggests’ a level of intellectual intelligence.”

“EQ tests, however, can, to a certain extent, be fooled …unless they have a very strong 360 contribution from colleagues and close associates. (Ray’s argument is that a more reliable assessment includes the observations of other people, rather than relying on the information that the person being assessedprovides) . If you say that you help other people, for instance, when in reality you don’t care at all, then you will have an EQ rating that is not deserved, earned or realistic. “

“In consequence no genuine, personal development can take place. The questions examine your self knowledge and social relationships in various categories.”

Ray’s Provocative Closing Statement

“An EQ number, as an end result, is therefore meaningless, since it is the further consideration of the components that provide the basis for personal development and improvement.”

So Ray says that if you want to make the most of your IQ, you must THINK.

Could Ray’s tip help you make the most of your IQ?

How do feel about what Ray says about emotional intelligence coaching and assessment?

Ray believes that a good coach can help you by asking the right emotional intelligence questions.

Read my 13 Emotional Intelligence Questions Every Leader Should Ask guest post 4 part series for Steve Roesler’s All Things Workplace Blog.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

Download The 13 Emotional Intelligence Questions Every Leader Must Ask in pdf format

This is the sixth article in the interview series between Ray Hobby and myself. In the next article, Ray explains why Emotional Intelligence is important.

Download the entire 5 question interview series with Ray Hobby in pdf format.

More Insights From Ray Hobby

Is EQ Old or New?
Is EQ Old or New?, Part 2

More Resources

Enjoy Steve Olsen’s Understanding Intelligence-Best Resources List

Popularity: 42% [?]

What is the most successful meeting that you’ve ever attended?

What is the most successful meeting that you’ve ever led?

What factor led to the success?

This month’s BrightIdeas presentation was sparked by Dr. Ellen Weber’s question:

“If you were to open a day long conference Galba, to help leaders use their brains in new ways - how would you open with empathy?”

Here’s my answer.

| View | Upload your own

I wonder how it makes you feel? Leave a comment in the comment box below, or email me, using the contact form.

Download The Presentation In pdf format

Leave you comment in the comment box below, or email me using the contact form

Whose Meeting Is It Anyway?

Leading marketing and business strategy writer, The posture of a communicator> Seth Godin recently said:

“If you attend my presentation and you’re bored, that’s my failure. If you are a student in my class and you don’t learn what I’m teaching, I’ve let you down.”

Read his thoughts on The posture of a communicator.

More Resources

To enjoy successfully create emotionally intelligent meetings, read these articles

5 Emotionally Intelligent Retreat Tips

13 More Tips For An Emotionally Intelligent Retreat

9 Commandments For An Emotionally Intelligent Facilitator

3 Fears That Cripple Retreats

I publish a free BrightIdeas presentation in the third week of every month. It’s part of the full feed that you can subscribe to here To subscribe to the exclusive BrightIdeas Presentation feed click here

Popularity: 46% [?]

Cartoon by Bifsniff.com

Enjoy your weekend

Popularity: 39% [?]