Risk Management through an Emotional Intelligence Lens

"Anybody can become angry - that is easy, but to be angry with the right person and to the right degree and at the right time and for the right purpose, and in the right way - that is not within everybody's power and is not easy." Aristotle

I had the pleasure of delivering the keynote speech to the Canadian Institute conference on Insurance Disability Law this week. Using the backdrop of my personal story with the RCMP I spoke to a group of lawyers, mediators, insurance representatives and others within the industry. While I have not publicly written about my whole story, should one choose they can put the pieces together via Google with a little bit of digging.

My story is one of loyalty and dedication, legitimate frustration, significant disillusion, courageous exposure, administrative and small "p" political bullying and over-reaction (with significant underlying anger fueling it), fighting back, and eventual redemption and success in both courts of public opinion and law. It is also a story of emotion and some very dark times. One day I will tell it in whole.

My key points were simple :

• Legal or employment decisions made through a lens of anger, ego, pride or self righteous indignation, at the personal or corporate level will inevitably be a wrong and bad decision
• Legal or employment decisions made through a lens of maturity, wisdom, empathy and high emotional intelligence, at the personal or corporate level will inevitably be the right and good decision.
• Therefore, for a successful and right decision; be more empathetic, know and manage your biases, suspend your judgments, and treat people within your employ, or on the other side of your legal arguments and positions, with dignity, respect, and fairness. The law calls this the principles of natural justice. I call it being a decent human being on the journey of life.

How do you talk about emotional intelligence to a group of pragmatic and dispassionate ( in a good way ) professionals with hundreds of years combined experience in litigation and insurance law? Link it to risk management. That they can relate to. The nods in the audience and the comments afterwards indicated my message resonated.

While Risk Management is its own field of study and vocation, we risk manage every day. Decisions are made on a conscious or unconscious cost/benefit analysis. We weigh the potential consequences of choices against the likelihood of those consequences occurring. To do this well, however, we have to be of clear mind. Anger blinds, ego distorts, self righteousness destroys the viewpoint of others.

Three of the key components identified within several models of Emotional Intelligence are : Self Awareness , Self Control, and Empathy. In my view, as a student and teacher of EQ, these three are the foundation to success in our decisions and lives, both personally and professionally.

Having access to thousands of documents and e-mails on my own personal case identified the underlying anger and corporate self-righteousness that resulted in some very bad decisions that were overturned at the Federal Court of Canada. From a risk management lens, the consequences and likelihood could have been predicted and mitigated with a little bit of courage and wisdom.

To the courageous speakers of truth out there I offer my encouragement and experience to learn and take strength from.

To the angry and self-righteous out there I also offer encouragement, it is never too late to develop and grow in emotional intelligence.

Let's Lead Well.