We ran a series in February, 2011 on the importance of understanding and managing emotions. Fred Rogers (Mr. Rogers from the long running children’s’ TV show on PBS) demonstrates exceptional emotional management as he convinces a tough minded senator to approve $20 Million in funding in just 6 minutes.
Mr. Rogers illustrated a high level of EQ skill in each of the five areas measured by EQ:
Self-Awareness – The ability to recognize and understand your moods, emotions and drives, as well as their effect on others. Mr. Rogers understood feelings, what he was feeling and how it was impacting the senator. He owned his feelings and stated his anger at cartoon media and its messages of violence as a way of resolving conflict. He reflected his feelings of happiness and excitement at his discoveries of how to communicate with children in genuine ways at their level to give them skills that would make the world a better, safer and more humane place. He understood his sadness and scare and expressed the same at how much of what children were viewing and what public money was supporting as promoting violent was of interacting with each other and managing emotions. He reached across all barriers to express his appreciation for the senator’s deep desire to make the world a better, safer place for children.
Self-Regulation – The ability to control or redirect disruptive impulses and moods and the propensity to suspend judgment and think before acting. When confronted with Senator’s impatience, curtness, sarcasm and occasional abrupt questions, Mr. Rogers was able to stay focused on his purpose and choose the ways he believed would be in his best interest to win the senator over. He went past the way in which the senator communicated with him, and stayed totally focused on his plan and on the end result he was trying to accomplish.
Motivation – A passion to work for reasons that go beyond money or status, and a propensity to pursue goals with energy and persistence. Mr. Rogers demonstrated in his brief statement of his history and experience a passion for addressing a significant need to bring information to them about managing emotions. Mr. Rogers showed the size of his passion for this cause, and that it went way beyond any personal gain.
Empathy – The ability to understand the emotional makeup of other people. Mr. Rogers understood the position, pressures, and power of the senator. He also understood that the senator was human and had personal interest in supporting the healthy develop of children as well as a strong constituent interest in doing the same. He also understood the need for the senator to have quantitative facts to support his decision, thus giving many different and relevant statistics during his presentation.
Social Skills – A proficiency in managing relationships and building networks. Finally, Mr. Rogers had highly developed, though what appeared to be simple social skills. He sustained eye contact, maintained a calm approach, spoke with clarity, told stories, used illustrations, used language the illustrated the power and impact of his programming to children. In so doing he reached in to the inner child, made it safe for that inner child to listen and respond openly. He asserted his case firmly and respectfully. He listened, confirmed what he heard along with what he tested to be the senator’s motivation. And he managed conflict when confronted, discounted, or questioned. He maintained focus and managed the interaction skillfully to get the outcome he wanted.
EQ can be developed. Mr. Rogers confessed to have grown over the past six years as he had dedicated his professional life to understanding how to effectively communicate with children. As he developed his programming, he was also developing his EQ.
Research in EQ is clear. We can all improve it. It helps to know what it is. Then it helps to know what can be done to improve it.
For more on discovering your EQ, call or Email Gary at (574) 206-9903 or gary@myclearfocus.com
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This video and information of a 1969 message of Fred Rogers or as most of us know "Mr. Rogers" at a congressional hearing.
In 1969, Fred Rogers appeared before the United States Senate Subcommittee on Communications. His goal was to support funding for PBS and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, in response to significant proposed cuts by President Nixon.
