Lyn, thanks for this important post.

Because EI learning programs and coaching are such a large part of our portfolio - and because I am deeply committed to advancing greater emotional awareness and competency in the workplace, I was compelled to comment.

I began to integrate EI into my work soon after Goleman's first book was published. Talking about emotions in corporate settings was "pioneer" work in '96 - and in some ways, it still is. There are many reasons why EI is still a "hard sell" and perhaps why some programs haven't been as successful as they could be.

One major factor is that the organizational, business mindset still doesn't understand emotions - certainly not within the workplace. The prize of high performance is still unrelated to emotions in this mindset. Since the introduction of EI in the late '90s, neuroscience has added a whole new dimension to our understanding of emotions.

There is no such thing as a seperation between feelings and behavior. Unfortunately, and perhaps another important factor that contributes to a lack of success in EI programs, is that many senior leaders and HR professionals don't really understand what EI is and how emotions function. Only recently, we've had  two senior leaders tell us they want the EI programs without the psychology!

You're right, to do EI correctly, there needs to be a much greater investment of time and money. Behavioral changes are difficult and need repeated practice and reinforcement. Often we see companies spend more time and money implementing technology than developing people. Follow up and coaching is essential for people to "install" new thinking and consequently new behavior. It's still surprising to me how many professionals still believe you change behavior first.

Another important aspect is that many workplace cultures don't support emotional balance. Many cultures discourage honesty, needlessly trigger stress and place unhealthy demands on their employees. Culture does eat strategy for breakfast.....and it takes a very enlightened employee with a strong emotional foundation to excel in many of today's workplaces.

Daniel Goleman's work was a valuable contribution and provided an impetus for this important work to flourish. Now's it's time to take it to the next level.

Looking forward to Part 2!
Best, Louise