I wrote this post on November 6th but didn't publish it. I was about to do so today November 22nd, and thought I would update it to include this comment. How timely that the U.S. President Elect Donald Trump schedule a huge "off the record" meeting with TV network executives, news anchors, journalist - a list of who is who in the news business. This meeting, from what I read, was billed as the President Elect finally making time to meet with the media to work out a way forward for covering the new administration. Instead, they were further rebuked, insulted, ridiculed - not what they were expecting. This is not the first time the media "has been had" this way though, it happened a few times during the campaign.
So, really, be honest, do you react like Donald Trump when someone criticizes you or do you respond like President Barak Obama? May be on a scale somewhere in between?
I became aware of the term EQ or motional quotient back in the mid 2000's while attending an industry conference, Mackenzie University put on by Mackenzie Financial. One of the presenters (I believe to be Daniel Goldman, Arthur of Emotional Intelligence) spoke on the topic and it was riveting. Although I have been curious about the subject and have read many personal development books I did not start to focus on the subject until 2007. I can tell you that raising your emotional health or your EQ does not happen at the snap of your fingers - believe me!
Socially aware, definitely. Politically engaged - somewhat. My interest in the political discourse was mostly situational but I have always read the newspapers and kept abreast of what is happening both locally and around the world. Up until recently I subscribed to more than one paper. American politics - before 2007 all I knew was who the contenders were and who one. That changed when Barak Obama came on the scene.
Barak Obama came to my attention when I read an article about him in Oprah Magazine in 2004. I was a raising a young man in a society I entered fully developed. I grew up in Jamaica where people do not wake up everyday thinking about what colour they are. I lived and raised my kids like that. But, after becoming aware of the need to ground my son in his personal identity as a Canadian born young man in a family of mixed race heritage I thought Barak would be a good role model for him so I went out and bought Dreams Of My Father for him, one more tool in the arsenal for raising a successful male. My son is doing very well for himself, by the way! After that DNC speech in 2006 I became fixated. I have learnt a lot about emotional intelligence - EQ, by observing Barak Obama through a brutal campaign and watching him through his years as President of The United States of America.
Everything I have read about high states of consciousness, being "awake" spiritually and having a high emotional intelligence leads me to believe that President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama are people who have achieved extremely highly developed emotional quotients. Their high EQ's along with their high IQ's have enabled them to be so successful in the face of unprecedented racism, bigotry, unwarranted mean and degrading criticisms and outright obstructions. Compare how they deal with these pile-ons with how Mr. Trump deal with the smallest slight. I will let you do the grading.
It has been said that a high EQ will take you further that a high IQ and I can tell you that I agree with this as there is much evidence to prove this theory. One of my favourite motivational speakers, Bob Proctor said "Education alone will not bring you success, the world is full of educated derelicts." Where to start? Get a good book on the topic, read it, follow the example of John C. Maxwell and develop a growth plan. Then take it from there, one step at a time. Let your intuition be your guide.
Today is the day. Happy journey,
Beverley
No comments:
Post a Comment