Self-Awareness & Emotional Intelligence Lecture

Definition & Core Idea

• Self-awareness = the ability to understand oneself and the impact one’s behaviour has on others.
• Frequently assumed but rarely examined; requires deliberate reflection despite modern time pressure & tech-mediated communication.

Neurological Perspective — The Chimp Paradox (Steve Peters, 2012)

• Human brain can be simplified to 7 inter-working “brains”.
• Three most relevant to psychology (collectively the “psychological mind”):
  • Frontal (logical thought) ⇒ nicknamed “the Human”.
  • Limbic (emotional driver) ⇒ nicknamed “the Chimp”.
  • Parietal / memory systems (reference storage) ⇒ nicknamed “the Computer”.
• Key dynamics
  • Each component has distinct agendas & speeds → internal conflict.
  • The Chimp is fast, powerful, protection-oriented; often overrides rational processes producing emotional outbursts.
  • As experience grows, the Human draws on a larger database in the Computer, strengthening logical regulation.
• Practical takeaway
  • Recognising which “part” is active enables conscious management of emotional reactions.
  • Goal = harness the Chimp’s energy while avoiding maladaptive outbursts.
  • Model is a deliberate simplification to aid everyday application.

Emotional Intelligence Framework (Daniel Goleman, 1995)

• Emotional Intelligence (EI) = measured as EQ as opposed to IQ.
• Consists of 5 pillars:
  1. Self-awareness (foundation).
  2. Self-regulation.
  3. Self-motivation.
  4. Empathy.
  5. Social skills.
• Sequential logic
  • Accurate self-awareness → intentional regulation → clarity of intrinsic motivation → capacity to empathise → enhanced social competence.

Contemporary Research — Eurich & Goleman Study

• Sample size ≈ 5000 participants.
• Identified two distinct forms of self-awareness:
  • Internal Self-Awareness: insight into one’s own passions, values, aspirations, fit, reactions.
  • External Self-Awareness: understanding how others perceive those same attributes.
• Non-correlation finding
  • High internal ≠ high external; leaders often excel at one and neglect the other.
• Empirical correlations
  • High internal ⇒ greater job satisfaction & relationship satisfaction.
  • High external ⇒ stronger empathy & broader perspective-taking.
• Recommendation: develop both forms simultaneously; prioritising one alone limits effectiveness.

Implications for Leadership & Coaching

• Coaches must cultivate personal self-awareness before guiding coachees.
• Leaders’ performance, relationship quality, and ethical decision-making improve with balanced self-awareness.
• Investing time + effort (reflection, journaling, feedback loops, mindfulness) yields long-term adaptive capacity.

Action Checklist Exercise (summarised)

• Weekly reflection table prompts:
  • Highlighted interaction → description of a real event.
  • Consequence → immediate & downstream effects on self and others.
  • Future adaptations → planned behavioural tweaks informed by insight.
• Related analytical tool: SWOT Analysis for personal strategic reflection.

References Mentioned

• Peters, S. (2012) The Chimp Paradox: The Mind Management Programme for Confidence, Success and Happiness.
• Goleman, D. (1995) Emotional Intelligence.
• David, S., et al. (2018) Self-Awareness (HBR Emotional Intelligence Series). Harvard Business Review Press.
• Additional organisational context: KnowledgeBrief & Vodafone platform notes (no proprietary content included).

Ethical & Practical Considerations

• Misjudging external perceptions can impair inclusivity and team morale.
• Recognising neurological underpinnings avoids moralising emotional reactions; frames them as manageable processes.
• Continuous feedback encourages a growth mindset and resilience under pressure.

Key Numbers & Equations (for quick recall)

• Total simplified brain subsystems: 7.
• Psychological mind components: 3 (Human + Chimp + Computer).
• EI pillars: 5.
• Study participants: 5000.

Conceptual Connections & Real-World Relevance

• Aligns with prior lectures on leadership styles, cognitive bias, and mindfulness (assumed curriculum link).
• Supports real-world scenarios: conflict resolution, change management, high-stress professions.
• Provides a scaffold for integrating neuroscience, psychology, and management practice.