Cummings, G., Hayduk, L., & Estabrooks, C. (2005). Mitigating the impact of hospital restructuring on nurses: The responsibility of emotionally intelligent leadership. Nursing Research, 54(1), 2-12.

The authors investigated the possible mitigating effects of EI on negative emotional outcomes resulting from hospital restructuring. A model of the impact of resonant, dissonant, and mixed leadership styles defined by EI was estimated using structural equation modeling. Nurses working for resonant leaders reported significantly less emotional exhaustion and psychosomatic symptoms, better emotional health, greater workgroup collaboration and teamwork with physicians, more satisfaction with supervision and their jobs, and fewer unmet patient care needs than did nurses working for dissonant leaders. The EI competencies of resonant leaders help them to understand employees and to build trust through listening, empathy, and responsiveness. Dissonant leadership styles with negative EI behaviors intensified the impact of hospital restructuring on nurses. These findings have implications for the development of positive work environments, the emotional health and well-being of nurses, and ultimately patient care outcomes.

Mandell, B. & Pherwani, S. (2003). Relationship between emotional intelligence and transformational leadership style: A gender comparison. Journal of Business & Psychology, 17(3), 387-404.

Following Goleman's (1995) theory of EI in leadership, this study examined the predictive relationship between EI and transformational leadership style, the gender differences within each construct, and any interaction effects between gender and EI. EI was found to significantly predict transformational leadership style. A significant difference was also found between the EI scores of male and female managers. Gender, however, did not predict a transformational leadership style over and above EI. These results indicate that EI could be used to identify leaders who demonstrate positive transformational leadership qualities.

1st Bi-Annual European Conference on Emotional Intelligence in Practice - EI & the Bottom Line (Brighton, UK, June 14 -16)

This conference heralds a new bi-annual focus on the practical application of EI in European business. The audience will be predominantly European business professionals and human development professionals. Organizers are seeking proposals from both European organisations and consultancies who can demonstrate tangible results from the application of EI in business. Consultancy presentations should aim to involve the client wherever possible. There will be two kinds of workshops: a seminar presenting a business case study of 45 mins to 1 hour; a 2 hour experiential workshop demonstrating tools and resources used within a business case study. For more information please contact Amanda Knight, Director of Programmes, Centre for Applied Emotional Intelligence at amanda@appliedei.co.uk.

Call for Abstracts - Enterprising Selves Sub- theme Group at EGOS2006 (Bergen, Norway, July 6-8, 2006)

A sub-theme group at the European Group for Organizational Studies (EGOS) will be run on Enterprising Selves, including an emotional perspective. There may be a journal Special Issue connected with the sub-theme group. Deadline for abstracts is January 6, 2006. Click here for more details or contact Pauline Gleadle at m.p.r.gleadle@open.ac.uk.

Call for Papers - Third Annual Institute for Emotional Intelligence (Galveston, TX, February 9-10, 2006)

This two-day meeting of education and training scholars and practitioners will be held at the San Luis Resort Hotel on Galveston Island; Galveston, Texas. The Institute for Emotional Intelligence was formed three years ago by noted researchers Gary R. Low (Ph.D.) and Darwin B. Nelson (Ph. D.) of Texas A&M University-Kingsville. This year the institute is hosted by Galveston College, an institution that a year and a half ago committed to the principles of emotional intelligence by using it as a keystone in their comprehensive quality enhancement plan. The program will feature keynote addresses, panel discussions, breakout sessions, and a poster session. To submit your paper to the conference program for consideration, please prepare an abstract, presentation preference, title, author(s), brief biographies, and affiliation. Research in progress and working papers are highly encouraged and welcomed. Please e-mail submissions to Gary Low at kagrl00@tamuk.edu (cc: rhammett@stx.rr.com) by December 9, 2005. Registration for the conference is available online at http://www.gc.edu.

New Book - Beyond Reason: Using Emotions as You Negotiate (Viking, 2005)

This new book is co-authored by Roger Fisher and Daniel Shapiro. In it they present five "core concerns" that motivate people: appreciation, affiliation, autonomy, status, and role. The book aims to teach readers how to use these core concerns to generate helpful emotions in oneself and in others. Armed with this knowledge, the authors suggest that one can gauge the needs of another negotiator, set the emotional tone of discussion, and reach a mutually acceptable agreement.

Beyond Reason offers to clarify the complicated, "fuzzy" world of emotions and offers straightforward, practical advice. It builds on previous work of the Harvard Negotiation Project, the group that put out the book Getting to YES. More information can be found on the book's website: www.beyond-reason.net.

New Book - Resonant Leadership: Renewing Yourself and Connecting with Others Through Mindfulness, Hope, and Compassion (HBS Press, 2005)

Co-authors Richard Boyatzis and Annie McKee provide an indispensable guide to overcoming the vicious cycle of stress, sacrifice, and dissonance that afflicts many leaders. Drawing from extensive multidisciplinary research and real-life stories, Resonant Leadership offers a field-tested framework for creating the resonance that fuels great leadership. Rather than constantly sacrificing themselves to workplace demands, leaders can manage the cycle using specific techniques to combat stress, avoid burnout, and renew themselves physically, mentally, and emotionally. The book reveals that the path to resonance is through mindfulness, hope, and compassion and shows how intentionally employing these qualities creates effective and enduring leadership. Great leaders are resonant leaders. Resonant Leadership offers the inspiration--and tools--to spark and sustain resonance in ourselves and in those we lead.

Provide Opportunities to Practice

Lasting change requires sustained practice on the job and elsewhere in life. An automatic habit is being unlearned and different responses are replacing it. Use naturally occurring opportunities for practice at work and in life. Encourage the trainees to try the new behaviors repeatedly and consistently over a period of months.

Guideline in Action

After participants in the JOBS program see a model for how to use a skill, they have ample opportunity to practice it and receive feedback on their performance. For example, job seekers learn how to conduct networking telephone calls by watching the trainers model the wrong way. Then the participants generate ideas and suggestions to improve on the model provided by the trainers. The participants then perform role plays themselves, attempting to incorporate the suggestions made by their peers.

Feedback is provided to the learners at each step of the training process to help them learn the skill and also to enhance their self-confidence. The trainers show the participants how to give one another feedback on their performance by combining positive feedback on what each person did well with suggestions about ways in which he or she can make the performance even better (Vinokur, Price, and Schul 1995).

From Cherniss, Cary & Adler, Mitchel. (2000). Promoting Emotional Intelligence in Organizations. Alexandria, VA: American Society for Training & Development.