OGL 220: Behavioral Dynamics in Organizations

E.I., Empathy, and Stress

Question 1
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 EI 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 Answer:
Emotional intelligence is being able to read another being and react accordingly. It's
being able to say the right thing at the right time. I haven't had much exposure to
positive communication and have noticed that my communication skills have much
room for improvement. I am known to be straight-forward and blunt and am not afraid to
speak my mind. This year, I had made it my New Year's Resolution to work on my
personal growth and have begun to be more self-aware. I am beginning to realize that
while there are positives to being straight-forward I need to do so with more tact and
awareness of others. When I took the EI tools test I was surprised that I scored above
average. On the inside, I tell myself I am good at reading emotions but then I find I
doubt myself when it comes to utilizing this strength. I think the reason for this could be
that I am not taking the time to put myself in the other person's shoes and understand
from their perspective; I am always jumping too quickly to conclusions. I enjoyed the
body language quiz because it brought some solidification to my concerns and beliefs. It
let me know that while I am excellent at reading other people and anticipating their
reactions/needs it is important I am able to communicate my concerns effectively. This
means not waiting until the last minute and practicing conversations out loud to help
build confidence. Based on these tests, I know I do well at reading others' emotions and
catering to them accordingly, however, I am not taking the time to think through the
situations to ensure I am making a healthy decision. When I asked my significant other
if he agreed with me he admitted that while I am excellent at stating how I feel I do not
always express my feelings in a respectful way. This goes to show that I need to think
about how my words and attitude may affect another.
 
Question 2
Radical Experiment in Empathy 
What did you think of the "Radical Experiment in Empathy" 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.
Your Answer:
When I am not the star of the situation itself or the situation does not affect me, I am
able to put myself in another's shoes pretty easily. I find that I am constantly asking the
question "why" and am beginning to think from other perspectives in order to gain a
better understanding. I need to slow down mentally. I can hear my dad's voice from an
old memory telling me "take your time; don't rush" and I know this is something I've
struggled with since I was young. Maybe it's because I feel like I am fitting in better or
maybe I am running away from something. Sometimes I feel like I struggle to relate to
other people in a genuine manner. As I am learning more about emotions and stress, it
makes me wonder if it is stress that is hindering me from making meaningful
relationships? I can't expect people to want to work with me if I am unable to relate to
them on an emotional level. In any case, if I can master putting myself in the other
person's shoes before I think about myself I may be able to reduce or eliminate the
unnecessary stress of overthinking. I learned the word for this is a rumination (Talya
Bauer and Berrin Erdogan. Organizational Behavior: Bridging Science and Practice.
FlatWorld, 2018, Section 7.2)
 
Question 3
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?
Your Answer:
What I found most interesting from the film was that those who tend to be more
dominant experience low stress and those more submissive tend to experience high
stress. I also learned that chronic stress either social or psychological can cause plaque
build-up in arteries which can lead to severe health problems. The film seemed to
confirm my theories about how exercise and diet are important factors in helping
combat negative emotions. It also confirmed that while I may feel uncomfortable talking
about how I really feel it is important to converse with my peers. By connecting with
others it helps repair the ends of our DNA which help us combat stress. What I took
away from this is that I need to embrace moments of communication in order to prevent
overthinking. For example, I had offered to cover a shift for a lower-level employee,
however, when the time came close for me to arrive I asked my store manager if it was
not busy if I could stay home. Initially, I fully intended to cover the shift but due to poor
time management of my day, I needed to finish schoolwork first. She replied "that's fine"
and mentioned that if I am unable to cover the shift not to offer. I was reading so much
into the response I was massively overthinking her answer and spent 20 minutes
coming to the conclusion she said it was OK for me to stay home. Furthermore, I felt like
I overcommunicated through text which only prolonged my overthinking. When I went
into work the next day though everything was perfectly fine. I had stressed so much for
nothing!
The best approach that helps me manage my stress level is exercise. I visit the gym
and lift weights with my significant other at least four times a week. I also do my best to
maintain a healthy diet. I choose to eat wheat pasta instead of flour, I ensure a veggie
with almost every meal, and I strive to eat organic or in-season fruits and veggies. I stay
away from unnatural sugars- although I do indulge on some occasions. I loved reading
in Chapter 7 Section 3 about the different healthy food benefits from foods I eat fairly
regularly. For example, spinach (a favorite veggie of mine) is rich with magnesium
which promotes a sense of calmness and is also high in fiber which boosts energy
levels. Learning that both salmon, and walnuts, are full of Omega-3s encourages me to
incorporate them more into my diet because they help decrease inflammation, elevates
mood, and promote healthy blood flow. An additional strategy could be to take time to
reconnect with nature more often. Recently, I went camping and when I came back to
the city I felt recharged and ready to tackle the next day.