The Higher Up You Go the More You Need EQ?

I’m listening to the radio this morning as callersStress activates physiological systems we
talk about Martha Stuart’s sentence. Callercan’t use in today’s world. If
number one says it was too strict a penalty. Shethere’s a tiger in front of you, the chemicals
should’ve been given a small fine. It was enoughstart pumping to prime you to run and you can. If
she lost what she did in the stock market.you’re stuck in a traffic jam, there will be no
Caller number two says it wasn’t nearly enoughrunning and you continue to send out cortisol (which
for what she did. She should be given a huge fine andcan eventually weaken muscles and weaken support
more prison time.bodily systems) and epinephrine (increases blood
OPINIONS VARY. WHO’S RIGHT? HOW DOpressure), which together can contribute to a host of
YOU DECIDE?health problems including chronic hypertension,
Earlier I read an article about television censorship. Thehardening of the arteries and assault on the immune
man in charge at one of the studios lamented that itsystem, which is, at the bottom line, our health.
wasn’t like he had a list of 30 things heEMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
couldn’t say. People think there’s a list, heYour Emotional Intelligence, the intelligent management
said, and there isn’t. That was an eye opener toof your emotions, influences your immune system. As
me. I, too, thought he had a list! How then is heresearcher Candace Pert says, our emotions are in
supposed to know what’s in and what’severy cell. One of the EQ competencies, Personal
not? How can he make this decision?Power is particularly important. It means the opposite
HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO? THEREof feeling hopeless and helpless.
ARE NO RULES.According to the Society for Neuroscience, “one
Mary Ann’s gynecologist tells her she needs aimportant determinant of the immune system’s
certain test, but if he orders it, insurance won’tresistance or susceptibility to disease may be a
pay. “But,” he says, “There’s a wayperson’s sense of control as opposed to a
around this. If you go to your GP…”feeling of helplessness.” Further, they think it’s
KNOW THE RULES SO YOU KNOW HOW TOthe PERCEPTION of control or helplessness that
BREAK THEM.influences these physiological responses which in turn
I GOT IT HANDLEDaffect the immune system.
Oops, no I don’t.And what jobs do they mention as being particularly
·“There cannot be a crisis next week. My schedulestressful in this way? Telephone operators, waiters
is already full.” ~ Henry Kissinger, “NY Timesand waitresses, and cashiers, “jobs that carry high
Magazine, 1969, U. S. politiciandemands and low control.”
·“The more things change, the more they remainIndividuals who can regulate the pace and style of their
… insane.”work have lower rates of heart disease. Going back
~ Michael Fry and T. Lewis, “Over the Hedge,”to the “executive monkey” experiments of a
05.09.04decade ago, the monkey who could control the
Emotional Intelligence means being able to make goodshocks handled the stress better than the one who
decisions with limited data, decisions that requirecouldn’t.
maturity and wisdom. It’s lonely there. If you askNote that it’s the PERCEPTION. In other words,
around, as the radio DJ did, you’ll get differingif you could change your perception, you could do a lot
opinions about what’s right and wrong. Whenfor your wellness. One way to change your perception
the TV censor man asks around, he finds a blackhole.is to learn and understand the emotions better, so that
You’re on your own. The physician making hiseventually you can tamp them down when necessary.
way through the maze of managed care has to knowThen your perception of the event will be that you can
where the entry points are. It’s more thanhandle it, and that makes a difference.
knowing medicine these days.The goal is not to become numb. We need the
But the pressure isn’t only at the top. It’sinformation and vitality we get from our emotions. Also,
lonely along the way. Lonely and stressful.the short-lived and immediate response to stress. It
STRESShelps us in the long-term, giving us the extra strength
The Society for Neuroscience defines stress aswe need to cope with the threat. We’ve all
“any external stimulus that threatens homeostasisread in the news about people performing incredible
— the normal equilibrium of body function.”acts in order to save people they love. In addition, the
The most powerful stressors, they say, areimmediate physiological responses protect us and help
“psychological and psychosocial stressors that existre-re-establish homeostasis.
between members of the same species.”Those of us in public speaking understand this
That means we’re driving each other nuts! Wephenomenon. You learn to allow the adrenalin to pump
no longer have to cope with lions and tigers, just withup just enough to get you “up’ sufficiently for
one another.the presentation, but not so much that anxiety takes
Some of the OTHER most powerful stressors areover, or that you’re exhausted afterwards. You
psychological and psychosocial stressors that go on inalso learn to put it out of your mind until needed;
our own brains. We’re stressed whenotherwise you’d be up all the night before! It
we’re called upon to do deal with the constantbecomes a matter of management, which is what
and increasingly rapid changes of day-to-day life, andEmotional Intelligence is all about.
the insecurity.