TFOW: Emotional Intelligence As A Strategy, Really? The OpenAI Whistleblower, Uncertainty, Hybrid Work
The weekly newsletter of curated content from Peak Performer that explores the evolving landscape of work, leadership, and technology.
Welcome to The Future of Work, the weekly newsletter from Peak Performer that explores the evolving landscape of work, leadership, and technology. Each week, I dig into the critical topics shaping how we live and work in an era of rapid technological change. Whether you’re a manager striving to inspire your team, an industry leader navigating disruption, a graduate entering the workforce, or a worker adapting to new challenges, this newsletter is your go-to resource for news and insights to thrive in the future of work.
This week in TFOW, the Fast Company article, particularly, caught my attention—but for all the wrong reasons. Well, why bother sharing it then? It serves to illustrate the utter bullshit that exists in the world of business and management when it comes to being effective. So, let’s dive in.
What is strategy? Porter (1996) says strategy is “the creation of a unique and valuable position, involving a different set of activities” that allows an organisation to achieve competitive advantage by making trade-offs in choosing what not to do. Mintzberg (1987) suggests that strategy is a pattern in a stream of decisions, which can be deliberate (planned) or emergent (arising from organisational actions over time).
Very poetic.
Strategy represents the plan we design and execute in the pursuit of our goals. In the modern world of work, it mostly has material ends in mind. In business, that plan, effectively externalising as much of the cost as possible, usually leaves a trail of destruction behind it. We need only notice how mass consumerism destroys the environment and alienates millions to see how true this is. Sure, those of us in the Global North have our gadgets and cheap clothes, but there is an unavoidable pay-off for which we will eventually have to pony up. So, when we talk about strategy and couple it with things like emotional intelligence and empathy, for example, it sets off alarm bells for me.
Goleman’s work on Emotional Intelligence eventually made this idea very popular. HBR ran an article extolling its virtues and the advantages executives might garner from its application. Almost overnight, EI assessments, programs, books, articles, and so on were everywhere. Understanding oneself and others was now a necessary component of effective leadership, not because you necessarily cared about your people, but because it helped you get what you wanted or what was demanded of you from the job. Goleman was now a business and management guru, and the stage was set for EI to become the must-have people management tool.
Surely, understanding the needs of others and making ethical decisions in business can be done without a strategy. Or maybe not. Perhaps the fundamental premise and the incessant demands of the competitive marketplace train us out of our concern for others and require a counterbalance. Business leaders must be re-trained to be human. Or, more accurately, to hold two incompatible concepts of self in mind at once. If you occupy positions of responsibility within a corporate organisation, you must be assessed psychometrically and attend EI leadership training. You must learn the skills of being human so that you may appropriately apply them in the attainment of material ends. It all seems somewhat contrived to me–what Arlie Hochschild referred to as "surface-acting" (2019).
Is this not what Machiavelli proposed in his 16th Century Guidebook to Kings? (The Prince, 1513). Psychopaths, Machiavellians, and Narcissists are usually adept, or maybe become so through half-day leadership workshops, at the skills of reading and manipulating others. They understand the social rules governing healthy social and familial interaction and use these to achieve their material ends. Is it that the world of work and business has provided the environment where these maniacs can flourish? Or do its demands transform ordinarily good people into bad? Is this why many organisations will go to whatever extent necessary to achieve their commercial ends and feel no discomfort in doing so? It's only business, after all. No wonder, then, that Goleman and his cohort have come under scrutiny.
Some have praised emotional intelligence (EI) for enhancing workplace relationships and leadership effectiveness (Kerr et al., 2005). However, it faces significant criticism from scholars arguing that it lacks a clear and consistent definition and overlaps with established personality traits such as conscientiousness and empathy (Murphy, 2013). Additionally, the predictive validity of EI has come into question. Studies have shown that when factors like IQ and personality are controlled, EI's influence on job performance and leadership effectiveness diminishes substantially (Antonakis et al., 2009). Critics also suggest that the lack of rigorous empirical evidence makes Emotional Intelligence no more than "pop psychology" rather than a robust scientific construct (Waterhouse, 2006).
The message here is to be wary of trendy ideas, especially this one, and if you care about sincerity and authenticity, audit your people. Understanding and having empathy for others is a fundamental aspect of being human. It is not something that you need to practice and develop as a tool in the execution of your job. So, be human, and don’t let the machine make a machine of you.
Culture: Why Emotional Intelligence Is Key to Building a Great Company Culture
An article from Fast Company emphasises the apparently pivotal role of emotional intelligence in cultivating a thriving company culture. No doubt, being a human does just this, but beware of ulterior motives. EI involves recognising, understanding, and managing one's emotions and empathising with others. It is said that leaders with high EI can navigate complex interpersonal dynamics, foster open communication, and build team trust. The piece highlights that organisations prioritising EI in their leadership development see enhanced collaboration, increased employee engagement, and reduced turnover. In the context of the future of work, where remote and hybrid models are becoming the norm, EI becomes even more critical. It enables leaders to connect with their teams authentically, address challenges proactively, and create an inclusive environment that adapts to change. For managers and industry leaders, investing in EQ development is beneficial and essential for sustaining a positive workplace culture in an evolving work landscape.
Leadership: Design Work to Prevent Burnout
An MIT Sloan Management Review article suggests leaders adopt a SMART Work Design model to mitigate employee burnout and enhance engagement. The model emphasises five key job characteristics: Stimulating work, mastery, autonomy, relational aspects, and demands tolerance. By incorporating these elements, organisations can create healthier and more sustainable jobs, increasing employee satisfaction, motivation, and commitment. The authors argue that traditional "fix-the-worker" approaches, such as offering productivity tips or mindfulness training, fail to address the root causes of burnout, which often stem from poor work design. Instead, they advocate for a comprehensive approach that considers positive and negative work characteristics to create an environment supporting employee well-being and performance. As Frederick Herzberg suggested in 1959, “If you want people to do a good job, give them a good job to do — an enriched job.”
Artificial Intelligence: OpenAI Whistleblower Found Dead
Mashable India reports on the former OpenAI researcher turned whistleblower Suchir Balaji, who tragically took his own life recently. His body was discovered on 26 November 2024 after police conducted a welfare check prompted by a concerned call. The BBC reported, “The San Francisco medical examiner's office determined his death to be suicide, and police found no evidence of foul play.”
Balaji spent four years as a researcher at OpenAI before concluding that the organisation’s practices, including using copyrighted data to train ChatGPT, were potentially unlawful. He also voiced concerns about the broader impact of technologies like ChatGPT, arguing they were harmful to the integrity of the Internet. Balaji shared these concerns in an interview with The New York Times.
Balaji said, "AI companies are destroying the commercial viability of the individuals, businesses, and internet services that created the digital data used to train these A.I. systems."
Wellbeing: Uncertainty Is Part of Being Human
An insightful article from The Guardian explores the inherent uncertainty of human existence and offers strategies to navigate it. David Spiegelhalter, a professor of statistics, shares personal anecdotes and professional insights into how acknowledging and reframing our perceptions of uncertainty can lead to better mental health. He suggests that accepting uncertainty as a fundamental aspect of life allows individuals to engage more fully with the world, reducing anxiety and enhancing decision-making. Being comfortable with uncertainty becomes crucial in the future of work, where rapid technological advancements and shifting job landscapes are prevalent. Building resilience and adaptability in the face of the unknown can lead to more fulfilling careers and personal growth for workers and graduates.
Work: Five Hybrid Work Trends to Watch in 2025
A recent MIT Sloan Management Review article outlines emerging trends in hybrid work models anticipated for 2025. The piece highlights that while many believed debates over hybrid work had settled, recent developments have reignited discussions. Key trends include the evolution and refinement of hybrid work models, the impact of return-to-office mandates, and the ongoing balance between flexibility and productivity. For managers and industry leaders, staying informed about these trends is essential to navigate the complexities of hybrid work arrangements effectively. The article suggests that the shift away from an overly simplistic focus is common to each trend. Many leaders see an advantage in redesigning their approach to focus on outcomes, particularly when driving engagement in talented teams.
I think my fears are less about the technology itself and more about the fact that it is developed and controlled by a handful of large corporations whose interests are, of course, the interests of the corporation and profit and growth and the pleasing of shareholders, not necessarily the social good.
– Meredith Whittaker, CEO Signal
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