Being an effective manager requires balancing two networks in your brain: the analytic network (AN) and the empathic network (EN). Managers need to understand their employees and their specific challenges and they need to relate to their feelings and emotional state. They need to form and confirm their thoughts about their perspective and they need to be open to hearing and seeing what their employees hear, see, and feel. The authors point to recent research for insight into how the analytic and emphatic networks work in our brains — and how to become more adept at balancing both.

How to Achieve the Right Balance:

  1. Be aware of your own predilection. What is your “go-to” neural network?
  2. Exercise the neural network that isn’t your go-to.
  3. Practice balancing both.

Want a deeper dive? There’s a class for that! Join us for a virtual Emotional Intelligence class on March 22nd & 23rd. You can register HERE.

 

Reference:
Harvard Business Review (2020, June 12) Melvin Smith, Ellen Van Oosten, Richard E. Boyatzis: The Best Managers Balance Analytical and Emotional Intelligence