We have entered an era where a measure of psychological enlightenment and emotional sensitivity is a prerequisite for competent management. The job of emotionally competent leadership is to create and manage the emotional context of business so staff will be aware of and trust their own feelings as they provide service. Failing to do this, people begin to lose contact between their feelings and their experiences. We are working to add emotional value to our work experiences and understanding that there is an economic worth to feelings.

Daily, we form judgments when we interact with organizations, businesses and employees. By filtering sensory information, we form emotional impressions, or Moments of Truth, that help us to remember and distinguish one experience from another. These sensory clues have a strong emotional component and need to be understood, managed, and delivered to others to enhance, not inhibit communications.

Traditionally the display of emotion in business was a sign of weakness. Emotions were to be avoided because they were thought to send mixed confusing signals. It was felt that only rational thinking was relevant to decision-making, and even the use of emotionally based words was inappropriate in relations with associates and detrimental to a person's career.

Today, while excessive emotion is still considered disruptive, it is being understood that too little emotion can be even more devastating to an organization. Emotions are a way to foster high performance by touching people's hearts in addition to their heads. In many high-performing organizations, emotions are a sign of strength. They are essential in business, since business is dependent on people, and people have feelings. Feelings trigger productivity, learning, and commitment. Emotions are perceived to be motivators, not distractions. They are an integral part of management - the "artistic" side of business.

Emotions are essential to build trust and connections with all team members. Through emotional connections and clear communications, management can enhance its controls because employees who trust their bosses will seek to emulate management's decision-making process. Without such trust and a sense that management is part of the team, decision-making consistency may not be achieved.

The balance of emotions and business reasoning create effective managers. Much as managers need to understand the balance sheet and profitability dynamics of their companies, they need to understand the human dynamics of their organization, how to mobilize the troops by appealing to their hearts as well as their heads. Through emotions, managers can draw on values such as trust, integrity, credibility, empathy, and resilience to build a company that is founded on trusting, profitable business relationships.

Dan Goleman, author of best sellers Emotional Intelligence and Working with Emotional Intelligence, writes about a study of leaders in the U.S.Navy. Commands were evaluated by cut-and-dried criteria: efficiency, safety, and preparedness. The results of the study were astonishing. The best commands were led, not by Captain Ahab types, but by nice guys.

"The superior leaders managed to balance a people-oriented personal style with a decisive command role. They did not hesitate to take charge, to be purposeful, assertive, and businesslike. But the greatest difference between average and superior leaders was in their emotional style. The most effective leaders were more positive and outgoing, more emotionally expressive and dramatic, warmer and more sociable, including smiling more, friendlier and more democratic, more cooperative, more likable and "fun to be with," more appreciative and trustful, and even gentler than those who were merely average."

Nostalgia The current nostalgia trend has spawned an interest in food, fashion, home decor and lifestyle reminiscent of the "good old days."

Recently there has been a re-birth of drive-in movie theaters. In 1958 there were 4,063 drive-ins dotting the nation. By 1990, most of them were out of business.

According to the United Drive-In Theater Owners Association there are 430 currently operating across 47 states. In the 1990’s, 15 new drive-ins were built, and 39 old ones were re-opened.

Of course, drive-in operators have updated their customers’ movie experience to keep in step with 21st Century expectations. Most movies offered are suitable for children. Audio is broadcast in stereo over the vehicles’ FM radios or personal players. In addition, some theaters offer freshly made French fries and employees dress in theme costumes for the movie that is being featured.

Another sign of the times finds some people preferring drive-ins to mall theaters or a closed Cineplex building because they feel safer since the terrorist attacks of September 11th.

Talk

With the New Year starting, it is a good time to look ahead and set some goals for the coming year. In his book, Synergizing Your Business, Chris Alexander offers these thoughts and suggestions for setting goals:

• The mission statement is completed by setting goals. Goals must be directed toward making a profit, increasing sales and productivity, and launching new products.
• Clearly defined goals are imperative. Goals need to be top and bottom line driven. The most successful organizations have very clearly defined goals and expectations for the entire team.
• We know that when it comes to individuals, only 2 percent of the people initiate, innovate, create, and make things happen. Fourteen percent criticize and condemn them and/or assist the 2 percent while they’re making things happen. Eighty-four percent don’t know what is going on, because they don’t understand the importance of setting goals.

Goals are critically important. Here are six critical factors for goal-setting with your individual employees and for the organization:

1. The goal must have a time line to operate within.
2. The goal must be realistic.
3. The goal must be challenging.
4. The goal must be written down in detail.
5. The goal must be clearly communicated.
6. The goal must be aligned with your mission.

Published: January 15, 2003

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Kathy Lamancusa is a trend strategis, professional speaker and author who tracks the forces that impact our lives. Over 1.6 million copies of Kathy's books are in print, and she has appeared on numerous television and radio shows including Oprah! She is a public speaker who can offer organizations entertaining and enlightening peeks into what is coming and what is shaping change so that they can better reach their own customer bases.