crictical incident assignment

1

My chosen toolkit is: Cultural Intelligence Self-Assessment and Emotional Intelligence

(based on Goleman 1998)

My results for this toolkit are: Preferred Roles: Research Investigator, Specialist and

Implementer.

Summary of critical incident

During the “Archway” task at the residential weekend, I received feedback that I inspired positive energy

but dominated the group. I behaved on the presumption that the entire team processed information at the

same speed and in the same manner as I did. This caused group members to feel confused, zoned out of the

task, and elongated the complex planning element of the activity. Whilst I believed I was a competent

leader, having led previous tasks at work and throughout study, I was not acutely aware of others learning

needs and their individual way of processing new information. I am now conscious that within different

working environments I need to empathize that some people are reflectors and that I had wrongly

presumed that if other team members were confused or had an idea, that they would speak up. When

asking questions such as “do we all agree?” their “yes” statement caused me to continue rather than

question their body language which expressed indecision. I believe the cultural diversity of the group,

language barriers and the task time limited heightened my behaviour to “get on” with the task.

How does your thinking and behaviour in this critical incident reflect the findings of your chosen self-

analysis toolkit?

The Cultural Intelligence Questionnaire toolkit indicates development areas, as I disagreed with two

statements. The first “I adjust my non-verbal behaviour, when necessary, when working with people from

diverse cultural backgrounds”. My response indicates that I am consciously incompetent that the semiotics

of my body language and others may be interpreted differently in different cultures. My Emotional

Intelligence analysis confirmed that I had poor self-awareness, as I was not fully aware of my own actions

2

and the effect they had on others. Carolyn fed back that by standing up, within the task, whilst others were

sitting may have placed me in a dominant role, in addition my back was turned frequently whilst writing on

the board. This may have made team members feel like they were not my equal and therefore could not

participate fully. I believe my body language may have inadvertently subjugated others; in addition, I was

not wary of other people body language and did not hold an open stance that may have made others feel

more comfortable.

The second cultural Intelligence statement I disagreed with was “when interacting with people from diverse

cultural backgrounds I check their understanding of what is being said and agreed”. I initially felt, that by

asking “do we all agree?” or “have we decided that the triangular frame is the best option?” I had achieved

this. However, upon reflection there is a huge difference between verbalizing the question and actually

checking understanding. I believe that I said these questions as statements or facts rather than open

queries. I understood I was summarizing decisions we had already made, yet effectively I was regurgitating

the views of the most vocal team members who were predominantly British. I did not wait for a response,

nor did I discern the silence of some team members as disagreement or confusion. I presumed that those

not speaking agreed, and that if there were confusion they would verbalize this. This confirms the emotional

intelligence questionnaire finding that I struggle to empathise with those that are not like me and

particularly struggle to read a groups emotional currents and power relationships. I had not considered that

people might feel uncomfortable and therefore feel embarrassed that they did not understand especially if

discussion had been fast paced in their second language.

Identify how you will use this learning in the future.

It is my intention to concentrate on accurate self-awareness in order to “demonstrate determination, far-

sightedness, and strong convictions” in my own beliefs (Bennis, 1989). I shall do this by accurately analysing

my own strengths and weakness and their effect upon others. In addition I wish to observe and reflect upon

3

group dynamics, until I can confidently read a groups emotional dynamic. I shall do this with the intention of

becoming a leader “who possesses the emotional management aspects of emotional intelligence considers

the needs of others over their personal needs.” (Goleman, 1995)

I wish to gain more experience working within multi-cultural teams in order to broaden my understanding

and knowledge. My aim is to prioritise and expand upon my Behavioural CQ, as like Hall (1959) discusses the

actual “ability to exhibit appropriate verbal and non-verbal actions, based on cultural values of a specific

setting” are the most salient qualities of social and professional interactions.