Jana Lee Cox

January 30, 2019 (Updated September 11, 2021)

OGL 220 – Dr. Dave Thomas
Module 2: EI, Empathy, and Stress Worksheet

Emotional Intelligence Instruments

Reflect on what you learned about the concept of emotional intelligence based on what you read in your
textbook and online.  Based on your results with the above tools, what would you consider to be your
strengths and weaknesses with respect to emotional intelligence?  Discuss the concept with a loved one,
friend, or trusted colleague.  What are their perceptions with respect to your self-appraisal?

Your result: ‘Good EQ’

Co n g ra tu la tio n s ! Yo u h a v e h ig h
e m o tio n a l in te l lig e n c e . This is
good news! EQ counts for twice as
m uch as IQ and techni cal sk ills
combined in determ ining who will
be a star perform er. Your level of
E Q lik ely has been and will be a
driver of your high per form ance
under pressure for years to come.
A reas to work on: W hile you are
doing well, don’t forget to tak e
tim e out of your bus y day - to -day
ac tivities to stop and r ef lect on what brings you the greates t m eaning in your life. If we
fail to do this on a regular basis, we ris k bec oming tranquili zed by the trivi al, seda ted
by the sm all details. Yes, deadlines need to be met and goals achieved. But if we are
work ing toward goals that are not in alignm ent with our key values and greater
purpose, we fac e becom ing frustrated and c ynical when we f ace p ressure – losing
si ght of the reas on we are doing ‘all of this’ in the f irs t place!

As W illiam James s aid: “ I have no doubt whatsoever that most people live, whether
phys ically, intellectually, or morally, in a ver y restricted ci rcle of their potential being.
They m ak e use of a very sm all portion of thei r possible consciousness… m uc h lik e a
m an who, out of his whole body organism, should get into the habit of using and
m oving only his little finger… W e all have res ervoirs of life to d raw upon, of which we
do not d ream.”

According to the textbook “Organizational Behavior” (Bauer & Erdogan, 2018), Emotional
Intelligence is the ability to accurately define and manage what you and others are feeling.
Recognizing what another person is feeling and responding accordingly is an important part of
building relationships and leads to increased understanding, whether in the workplace or in one's
personal life. In addition, according to Bauer & Erdogan (2018), emotional intelligence helps
manage the “Emotional Labor” required when one must act differently than one feels, especially
in the workplace.
Emotional Intelligence suggests having an increased level of emotional maturity. As indicated in
the online Emotional EQ quiz, this may manifest itself as a more effective response to emotional
situations; such as criticism, unexpected setbacks, pressure, and stress. These abilities improve a
person's capacity to lead effectively. My test results indicate high emotional intelligence, with
the ability to see another's perspective and how my behavior affects them, being willing to admit
mistakes, accept feedback, and listen without judgment. My weaknesses lie in managing anxiety
and stress, handling setbacks, and staying positive. I discussed my findings with a friend, who
felt my results were fairly accurate except that my general positivity was slightly lower than
what I supposed. I appreciate his input because it helps me see where I need more work.

I scored 70% on the body language quiz (The Greater Good Science Center, 2019). I was
surprised at the low score because I thought I was better at reading people (I guessed on a few of
the ones I got right). Luckily, in real life I usually have more than a still snapshot of a face
(which doesn’t provide a baseline comparison for reference) in order to make a judgement.
However, it was a helpful learning tool in defining nuances in expression of different emotions.

Radical Experiment in Empathy

What did you think of the video? Were you able to “step outside of your thoughts and behavioral patterns”
and reserve a part of your mental capacity to “listen” to and monitor your internal reactions as a means of
gaining a deeper insight into the nature of yourself?   What’s your perspective on this notion of “self-
awareness” in the present moment as a tool to learn more about yourself?  Was this “radical experiment”
an effective one in terms of helping you understand the concept of empathy?

Make some connections between the “Radical Experiment in Empathy” TED Talk and the ideas you have
been reading and learning about this week.  Be sure to describe your connections carefully and use in-text
cites as applicable.

The TedTalk video “A Radical Experiment in Empathy (Sam Richards, 2010) was a great
representation of what it means to truly understand those who think and act differently than we,
even when their goals and objectives directly conflict with ours. Being able to empathize with
others empowers us to navigate life in a more honorable and ethical way. Having empathy
towards others in all situations, even rush-hour traffic, is a huge step towards recognizing that all
living beings have value, and each has a unique perspective because of their past experiences,
present circumstances, and culture. I learned more about myself through "self-awareness" while
watching the video. Several times I paused the video while I wrote down ideas and memories
that came to me, as well as connections and insights.

I was able to “step outside of [my] thoughts and behavioral patterns” while watching, largely
because my whole life has been an experiment in empathy. Many times, after responding
judgmentally towards another person, I’ve found myself in the same or similar circumstances—
hoping that others weren’t likewise judging me. Years ago, after a particularly difficult challenge
in which I was surely condemned by at least a few, I read a book called “The Anatomy of Peace”
(The Arbinger Institute, 2006), in which was discussed, at some length, the concept of
perspective and empathy. A fictional back story (although based in truth) was provided of an
Arab and a Jew who learned to respect one another, eventually developing a deep friendship,
through exercising empathy and understanding. I connected this with what I learned in "Thinking
with mental models" (World Bank, 2014), realizing that it’s easier to see how a preconceived
idea applies to ourselves when we first see it in others. This helps me recognize how mental
models affect my view of circumstances and people around me—and even how the mental
models of others affects their views and biases.

Stress: Portrait of a Killer

Contrast your textbook’s discussion of stress with National Geographic’s documentary “Stress: Portrait of a
Killer.”  What, specifically, was most interesting to you with respect to the film?  What kinds of connections
can you make between stress, personality, and human behavior in the workplace? (Be explicit) 

Provide a couple of examples of specific stressful situations from your life – as well as your own stress-
related behaviors in those instances.

What stress management approaches work best for you?  Based on what you learned here, what might be
some additional strategies you might employ to reduce your stress?

There were many similarities between the textbook’s discussion of stress with the National
Geographic documentary, "Stress: Portrait of a Killer" (2011) including the idea that stress
suppresses the immune system leading to serious health issues. The textbook “Organizational
Behavior” (Bauer & Erdogan, 2018), however, went more in depth about ways a business
organization can help employees reduce stress levels, by encouraging them to adopt healthier
habits, detach from work at the end of the day, and maintain a better life-balance.

On the other hand, what was most interesting to me in the film (National Geographic, 2011) was
the idea that leaders have a significant effect on the stress levels, health, and life quality of their
subordinates, and that replacing authoritarian leaders with ones who are more empathetic can
drastically change the culture of an entire organization, whether it be in business, politics, or
family. This is based on researcher Robert Sapolsky's work comparing stress patterns of humans
to animals in the wild. He found that baboons, like humans in some organizations, enjoy creating
misery among underlings, who in turn pick on others until the whole group is at war with each
other and stress levels are high. When the alpha males in one colony were removed, things
changed: the baboons were kinder to each other and stress levels went down. The same thing can
happen in organizations, when leaders empower followers, show respect, and invite participation
in decision-making processes.

I have two specific stressful situations in my life: work and school. At work, my boss is very
stressed with trying to bring sustainable growth. She and my immediate manager are both very
busy and haven’t been able to teach me what I need to know about my job. Consequently I often
suspect my boss is frustrated that I’m not accomplishing more.

One way I’ve responded to this stress is through utilizing empathy and positivity, owning my
part of the problem, and strengthening my relationship with my boss. Through empathy, I
understand the uncertainty and fear she feels about her role and the company’s situation.
Through positive observation, I find she has valuable strengths that make her a good leader.
Through analyzing my own conduct, I realize my attitude affects her stress levels: when I lack
confidence in my skills, she worries I might not be able to do my job. By improving my attitude,
she experiences less worry and stress. Strengthening our relationship helps reduce tension and
facilitates communication. As a result of my efforts, this situation has improved and I’ve been
able to help in ways that influence the direction of the company—another reason I want to learn
more about Organizational Leadership.

Another stress I have is my education. My desire to learn quickly so I can help at work
influenced me to take a full load of classes. My daily stress comes from looking at the workload
and the calendar and worrying if I will complete my assignments in time. Knowing I chose this
challenge increases my ability to handle the stress. I also take time to schedule and avoid self-
defeating thoughts.

One stress-management strategy that works well for me is to control my environment—whether

it be my physical work area, schedule, or even personal behaviors and emotional responses to my
stressors. Another strategy is scheduling time for my personal relationships. Some additional
strategies I want to try include taking better care of my health (diet, exercise, sleep) and taking
time to relax, enjoy life and socialize.
 References

Arbinger Institute. (2006). The anatomy of peace: Resolving the heart of conflict. Barrett-
Koehler Publishers, Inc.

Bauer, T. N., & Erdogan, B. (2018). Organizational behavior: Bridging science and

practice (3rd ed.). Flatworld Knowledge
Publishers. https://catalog.flatworldknowledge.com /scholar/books/31289/read

Institute for Health and Human Potential. (2021, February 1). Test your emotional intelligence,
free EQ quiz, EI test. IHHP. https://www.ihhp.com/free-eq-quiz/

National Geographic. (2011, October 16). Stress, Portrait of a Killer - Full Documentary

(2008) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYG0ZuTv5rs

Richards, S. (2010, October). A radical experiment in empathy [Video]. TED: Ideas worth

spreading. https://www.ted.com/talks/sam_richards_a_radical_experiment_in_empathy?
language=en

The Greater Good Science Center. (2019). Emotional intelligence quiz. Greater

Good. https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/quizzes/ei_quiz

World Bank. (2014). Thinking with mental models. In World development report 2015: Mind,
society, and behavior (pp. 62-75). World Bank
Publications. https://pubdocs.worldbank.org/en/504271482349886430/Chapter-3.pdf