THE DARK SIDE OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

“In some jobs, being in touch with emotions is essential. In others, it seems to be a detriment. And like any skill, being able to read people can be used for good or evil”

By: Adam Grant

Published: Jan 2, 2014; The Atlantic; http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/01/the-dark-side-of-emotional-intelligence/282720/

Level of Difficulty: ***

BEFORE YOU READ

Watch all three of the videos below in the order they have been presented and make notes:

• “Emotional Intelligence” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weuLejJdUu0
• “Emotional Intelligence” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MepJp7KpaH4
• Watch the video where Daniel Goldman discusses emotional intelligence:

http://www.ted.com/talks/daniel_goleman_on_compassion/transcript?language=tr

•  

QUESTIONS

1.       According to the information in paragraph one, which of the following speeches would not require emotional intelligence? You may need to do a little research first.

·         Obama’s speech when he won the presidency

·         Churchill’s speech to the British people on the eve of WWII

·         David Cameron’s presenting of the party program to parliament

·         The Queen’s Christmas message of 2014

·         Julius Caesar’s speech beginning “Friends, Romans countrymen lend me your ears”

2.       Adolph Hitler tried to exploit the power of emotions in order to…………………………………

3.       The purpose for teaching emotional intelligence is to foster: mark the ones that fit.

·         More empathy with others

·         More charity and donations

·         More voluntary work

·         More  future opportunities

·         More sympathy for others

·         More self interest overall

·         More concern for others

·         More individualism overall

4.       A politician or a leader who is an expert in emotional skills has a distinct advantage because if he wishes to he can………………………………………….An example to the latter is the German people’s giving up their democratic rights and giving Hitler absolute power in a referendum.

5.       Why could the “awestruck effect” also be called the “dumbstruck effect”? Because the audience………………………………………………………………………………………………….

6.       The manager of the computer company studied by Gideon Kunda is an example of a/an…….

7.       The purpose of the same manager in praising the project yet distancing the organization from it was to undermine his colleague. We know this because he wished to guarantee that………..

8.       The purpose of people who adapt their emotions according to their surroundings is to……….

9.       The manager of the computer company studied by Gideon Kunda and Body Shop founder Anita Roddick are similar to each other in that they both ………………………………… but different in that ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

10.   Nurses, teachers, social workers and care givers are examples of professionals who benefit / don’t benefit from emotional intelligence because …………………………………………………………….

11.    Why would emotional intelligence be a handicap for a mechanic? Because:

·         His attention would be divided

·         He wouldn’t be concentrating

·         He would get worked up

·         He would endanger himself

·         All of the above

·         Other: please specify

12.    A manager with any sense would value staff with high levels of emotional intelligence in their company because they would……………………………………………………………………………..

13.   The difference between a hot headed person and an emotionally intelligent person is that the latter is able to …………………………………………………………………………………………………..

14.   Who would the manager be more likely to listen to? The hot headed person or the emotionally intelligent person? Why?

15.   The example of the self assessment of emotional intelligence is provided to prove that a lot of the research done on the subject is……………………………………………………………………………

WRITING TASK

Use all that you have learnt to write about the up sides and the down sides of emotional intelligence

THE DARK SIDE OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE KEY AND TEACHER’S NOTES

Some texts, because of their style and content, allow me to write the kind of comprehension questions any teacher would dream of; this is just such a text. The questions are tough and they require full understanding of the text; nuances, shades of meaning and all. The task is also practical in that the answers to the questions are clear cut, brief and direct. There is an added bonus: the text has a wow factor and the task will lead to a good writing task.

1.       The second and the third

2.       An absolutely spell binding public speaker

3.       One, two, three, five and seven fit.

4.       Motivate people to act against their best interests (This answer fits with the example that has been provided)

5.       Stops thinking critically (and just emote)

6.       A Machiavellian with high emotional intelligence

7.       The company’s founder blamed the colleague

8.       Fabricate favorable impressions of themselves

9.       Use emotional intelligence; Anita Roddick doesn’t use it (emotional intelligence) for nefarious purposes

10.   Benefit; these jobs require extensive attention to emotions

11.   His attention would be divided ( He wouldn’t be concentrating is too strong)

12.   Challenge the status quo by speaking up with ideas and suggestions for improvement

13.    Keep his anger in check and reason

14.   The emotionally intelligent person because his ability to express enthusiasm would help him avoid threatening the leader

15.   Fatally flawed