Emotional Intelligence: The Intersection Where Warrior Meets Wall Street

By Dr. Sarah Spradlin

From Wall Street to Wilshire Boulevard, industry leaders face new battles every day in an effort to win the proverbial war over the competition. Whether the battle is fought behind enemy lines or at the head of the table in a boardroom, it is the application of emotional intelligence – a time-tested application dating back thousands of years – that underpins leadership success for warrior and industry leader alike. Emotional Intelligence offers concepts and techniques for developing emotional intelligence in business, with a focus on the parallels between warriors and business leaders and the value of developing emotional intelligence to both. The book takes a multidimensional approach to help industry leaders understand and apply emotional intelligence as they manage change. It highlights the art and science of EI and weaves in captivating stories from the battlefield to show the power of emotionally intelligent leadership.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu Publishing Services
• Release date: Feb 8, 2020
• ISBN: 9781684717569

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SPRADLIN

Copyright © 2020 Dr. Sarah Spradlin.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted by any means—whether auditory, graphic, mechanical, or electronic—without written permission of the author, except in the case of brief excerpts used in critical articles and reviews. Unauthorized reproduction of any part of this work is illegal and is punishable by law.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

ISBN: 978-1-6847-1757-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6847-1756-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020901575

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Interior Graphics Credit:

Martin Steib Design

Lulu Publishing Services rev. date:  01/29/2020

It is very important to understand that emotional intelligence

is not the opposite of intelligence, it is not the triumph of

heart over head—it is the unique intersection of both.

—David R. Caruso, Ph.D

This book is dedicated to every industry leader with a warrior spirit, to leaders who strive to maintain a competitive advantage on today’s battlefield of business and win the war over the competition.

INTRODUCTION

Emotional intelligence (EI) is the capacity to identify, assess, and manage emotional information from yourself, others, and the world around you in an effort to reach an optimal outcome. Essentially, EI significantly influences our ability to think constructively and act wisely as a situation changes.¹ In today’s global market, change remains constant. In turn, the value of EI for industry leaders is practically limitless.

Years of research highlight the powerful relationship between leader EI and complex behaviors that characterize high-performing transformational leaders.² Just to name a few, EI is positively linked to strategic forecasting, self-motivation, strong coping and stress-management skills, influential communication, conflict resolution, crisis management, healthy interpersonal relationships, and strategic decision making. Additionally, EI positively correlates with a number of organizational performance outcomes.³,⁴,⁵,⁶ An emotionally intelligent workforce is tied to employee job satisfaction and job performance, increased sales, improved leader-member exchange and team dynamics,⁷,⁸ customer satisfaction and loyalty,⁹ effective change management initiatives, healthy organizational culture, and organizational resilience.¹⁰

Whether you’re a stockbroker, a baker, or a candlestick maker, EI is associated with myriad individual performance outcomes that characterize transformational leaders and resilient organizations. Transformational leaders are elegant and charismatic. Underpinned by the four pillars of coaching, insight, innovation, and authenticity, they lead by example and inspire other to pursue organizational goals rather than individual interests. As organizations face new battles every day in an effort to defeat the competition, there is a call to arms for emotionally intelligent transformational leaders who possess the courage, conviction, and skill to inspire the masses and help their company succeed on today’s battlefield of business.

The Way Ahead

This book takes a multidimensional approach to help industry leaders understand and apply emotional intelligence as they manage change. It presents an overview of the art and science of EI, which is supported by research that guides a deeper appreciation for the concept. Likewise, the strategic military objectives required to win a war are juxtaposed with the strategic EI objectives required by transformational business leaders to maintain their competitive advantage. Additionally, captivating stories from the battlefield are woven into the discussion in an effort to shed a practical light on the power emotionally intelligent transformational leadership has on meeting your objectives.

Lastly, as you navigate this book, please note that each chapter includes a practical technique or tool for you to practice as you develop and refine your EI skills. The tools and techniques provided at the conclusion of each chapter are referred to as battle drills. According to Marine Corps Reference Publication 3-0B, How to Conduct Training, battle drills are a standard technique to connect the links between individual and collective tasks; priority is given to training that is critical to accomplishing the mission.¹¹

As such, the battle drills in this book will help you develop EI skills that are critical to leaders in today’s global market. Take time to review each battle drill after you digest the material. I also encourage you to revisit these tools and techniques in the years to come. Developing and refining your EI is a journey that requires persistent attention and practice. As the late, great warrior General Norman Schwarzkopf stated, The more you sweat in peace, the less you bleed in war.¹²

Within every successful leader resides the spirit of a warrior. However, without a foundation of EI, even the most skilled warrior is vulnerable to both internal and external threats; an ambush is looming, and defeat becomes imminent. Based on the ubiquitous demand for organizations to hire, train, retain, and promote the most holistically qualified leaders to defeat their global competitors, this book will help you and your organization develop your EI skills, embrace your warrior spirit, and maintain your competitive advantage.

If you know yourself and you know the enemy, you need not fear

the result of a hundred battles. If you know the enemy but not

yourself, for every victory gained you will suffer a defeat. If you know

neither yourself nor the enemy, you will succumb to every battle.

—Sun Tzu

CHAPTER 1

SHAPING THE BATTLEFIELD

Battlefield Conditions

Imagine, for a moment, a day in the life of Wall Street executives. What does a typical day at the office look like for them? Is it calm and consistent, or chaotic and full of uncertainty? How much risk-taking is involved in their daily decision-making process? What do they need to understand about the past, present, and future state of the market? How does their ability to influence others impact success? Does every day resemble the last, or does each new day bring with it unforeseen circumstances that require immediate attention?

I surveyed more than a hundred people across the United States and Europe, asking what a day in the life of a Wall Street executive looked like and what skills were needed to be successful under those self-selected conditions. Nearly 90 percent of participants provided the following responses:

• hectic, overly stimulating, chaotic, and full of uncertainty

• high stakes, high risks, high responsibilities

• requires high level of flexibility and stress tolerance

• requires strong negotiating and communication skills in diverse settings

• requires ethical decision making while under pressure

• requires an expansive and loyal network of partners built on trust and transparency

• requires a holistic understanding of the market and all the key players

• requires a high degree of intuition and forecasting based on a solid understanding of every nuance of the market

Are these requirements familiar to you? How often do you experience a hectic and seemingly uncertain work environment? Essentially, the stereotypical Wall Street executive is really no different than any other industry leader today (although many surveyed participants also cited sharp suits and expensive cars). The image we share about the day in the life of a Wall Street executive represents today’s business leaders across a diverse cross section of industry. I say this, speaking from personal experience. The image of the Wall Street executive symbolizes both today’s industry leaders and elite military warriors.

Our nation’s elite warriors navigate confusion and chaos, under the most arduous conditions. They consistently swim in hectic and uncertain water, while managing high stakes and great responsibilities. In an authentic effort