(1) Summary of Reading
Leadership is multifaceted. It’s hard to be the boss, to be the leader, or to be the person
who calls the shots. But what is it really like to become or to be a leader? Is intelligence,
toughness, and determination enough for us to succeed? Daniel Goleman’s article “What
Makes a Leader?” was a very fascinating study of the characteristics that make a leader. We all
know how integral IQ and technical skills are to succeed in school, work, or life in general. But,
Goleman said they’re not enough. It may help you to secure that promotion in the company
you’re working with, but it’ll not get you further than that. If you want to be a leader, there’s an
emotional element you need to consider. This includes: (a) self awareness, the ability to
perceive our emotions and understand the emotions of other people, (b) self-regulation, the
judge that sizes up our behavior, emotions, and thoughts, intervening when we’re not up to
par, (c) motivation, the drive to achieve for the sake of achievement, (d) empathy, it’s removing
your emotional shoes, slipping into someone else’s pair and walking comfortably, and lastly, (e)
social skill, managing relationships to move people in desired directions. In short, it’s what helps
you successfully coach teams, manage stress, deliver feedback, and collaborate with others.
But, can we actually learn to be emotionally intelligent or some people are just naturally
born with it? The answer is we’re all born with it, but not just on the same levels. You can
develop or improve it, yes, but you have to be more than willing to do so. Remember that it’s
not the smartest people in the room who are the most successful in life. Technical skills may get
you into huge universities, but it is your emotional intelligence that will help you manage the
stress and emotions when acing your final exams.
(2) Reaction
When I was younger, I thought leadership is something I’m required to learn if I wanted
to be a class or school officer. As stupid as it sounds, I thought it’s just a skill or a talent that
some people don’t have or can’t have, and that some are just naturally good at it. But as I grew
older, my knowledge on leadership also grew wider and even became more profound when I
read Goleman’s perspective on it. Honestly, his article somehow helped me boost my
self-confidence. Ever since I was a child, I never really saw myself as intelligent, especially in
terms of academics. So, whatever I lack in intelligence, I always do it with hard work. I have
been recently diagnosed with mild anxiety, partly because of my lack of self confidence. I
usually get worried all the time because I have this fear of disappointing the people around me.
