Emotional Intelligence

Some of you may have heard about Emotional Intelligence yet to others it may be a foreign term.  In a nutshell it is about understanding and controlling our own emotions and reactions to situations and to others as well as being able to recognize other people’s emotions and respond accordingly.  It has been shown that there is a level that technical skill can take a person in an organization, but to move further, you need emotional intelligence.

It has been shown that many executives need training in emotional intelligence.  I believe that lawyers generally lack emotional intelligence.  This is not something that we learn in law school.  We are taught to learn how to think like a lawyer and to learn the law.  We are generally not taught how to practice law.  We are not taught how to interact with others.  Our study is a singular individualistic journey.  When we enter the workforce we are under the tutelage of a senior attorney who learned from another senior attorney who probably did not possess or learn emotional intelligence and thus the cycle continues.

Emotional intelligence can be learned.  It is a matter of understanding what it is and what skills need to be honed.  The first step in this journey is to understand your emotional intelligence.

Below I have posted an article on Lawyers and Emotional Intelligence.  I have also provided you with a link to a free EQ assessment.  There are many assessments that measure EQ.  If you are interested in delving into this further you can contact me and I will be happy to guide you to a person who is certified in these assessments.

Lawyers Need Emotional Intelligence

I have also provided you with a YouTube Video of Daniel Goleman speaking about Emotional Intelligence.  This should also give you an idea of the concept.

Here is Goleman’s site, you can take an abbreviated survey for free:

http://www.haygroup.com/leadershipandtalentondemand/ourproducts/item_details.aspx?itemid=58&type=1

I would be interested in hearing any thoughts and comments you might have about Emotional Intelligence.  In addition, for those lawyers out there, do you believe that EQ should be taught in law schools or in your law firms?  How can you make that happen?

Mentoring

I recently got to thinking about Mentoring.  This was triggered by the fact that law school enrollment is declining.  The law students need skills that they can use once they graduate not only to pay their debt but to show value to the law school experience.  Many law schools are putting into practice some lawyering skills programs.  Yet is that enough?  I believe that it is our duty as more experienced lawyers to help mentor those younger attorneys.  Notice that I did not use the word coach which has a different context in organizational development.  So, here are some of my thoughts on Mentoring:

Mentoring

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Welcome to the Organizational Development and Lawyers Blog.  My name is Steven Lindberg and I have been a practicing attorney for  over 33 years.  I have had a solo practice and am now in a partnership with two of my law school classmates.  The Firm currently has over 300 staff members and over 30 attorneys.  I have served as the Managing partner for the Firm where I was able to put into practice many tools of organizational development.  I hold a Master’s Degree in Organizational Development and Leadership from Saint Joseph’s University.

My hope with this blog is to provide you with information that will be useful not only for lawyers in a law practice setting but also for other organizations.  I very much look forward to all of your thoughts, comments and replies.  This will make for robust discussions.

Any comments, articles or other material posted herein is my own and does not reflect on the opinions of my partners nor of my Firm.

Thanks for visiting.  You can reach me at:  lindbergodl@gmail.com