Emotional Intelligence

A bully boss bitten by a runaway ego

June 24, 2014
After co-founding an investment firm in 1971 and growing it into a $2 trillion giant, Bill Gross gained immense pride in his ability. But the co-chief investment officer of Pimco let his head get too big.

A CEO learns from good and bad leaders

June 19, 2014
Throughout his years in the financial services industry, Graham Coxell of brokerage firm Rowan Dartington has witnessed good and bad leadership. His conclusion? It’s better to seek to understand others than berate them.

T. Boone Pickens: Don’t point fingers

June 13, 2014
Asked for the best advice he ever got, business magnate and financier T. Boone Pickens credits his grandma with counseling him to take the rap for his own failures.

Strong inner core drives success

May 21, 2014
John Mattone, a Florida-based consultant and author of Intelligent Leadership, says that strong leaders need a strong “inner core” as well as an impressive “outer core.” Many people mistakenly judge the outer core alone.

Nelson Mandela’s balancing act

May 9, 2014
Reporters who covered Nelson Mandela never doubted his courage, vision or greatness of spirit, but some felt his eulogies elevated him to sainthood, overlooking his practical side.

How to raise your EI? Watch movies

April 2, 2014
After a decade of research that involved more than 500,000 test subjects, the findings are clear: Most people lack an understanding of how their emotions affect their decisions and their ability to lead.

Dish out debate, not answers

March 19, 2014
To help your team make a big decision, resist the urge to give your opinion or promote one side over the other. It’s ­better to play the role of debate ­moder­ator.

Lead by getting out of your head

February 21, 2014
A young executive was enough of a bully to (a) be nicknamed “the monster” and (b) require a leadership coach. Shown evidence of his crabbiness and temper, he was surprised, expecting to hear how smart he was …

Go ahead, say it: ‘I don’t know’

February 21, 2014
The next time you do not have an answer for something, say, “I don’t know,” and then smile pleasantly or sheepishly, and wait for a response.

On never giving up

February 12, 2014

Imagine getting kicked out of not one but two rock bands that both went on to become icons of their era. That’s exactly what happened to Jason Everman, once the second guitarist for Nirvana. Eventually, he became an elite member of the U.S. Army Rangers and Special Forces.