Leading the Next Generation of Law Enforcement through Emotional Intelligence - Article Example

Article Critique of "Leading the Next Generation of Law Enforcement Through Emotional Intelligence" Abstract Phlunte Riddle’s seminal article on the significance of emotional intelligence clearly demonstrates how essential are emotional intelligence competence in a multigenerational setting. The author starts the article by differentiating the baby boomers from the Y Generation. The article emphasises the fact that baby boomer managers need to possess adequate emotional intelligence competencies, skills and strategies to manage, motivate and lead the Y Generation employees. Riddle also deals with the various E I strategies needed for effective management. The article clearly predicts that EI competences will prove to be a deciding factor in the success or failure of organizations or law enforcements in multigenerational setting s or workplaces. Introduction (A brief introduction of the article, including information about the author) Lieutenant Phlunte Riddle, in her seminal article, emphasises the significance of emotional intelligence in leading the next generation of law enforcement. The author starts the article by differentiating the baby boomers from the Y Generation. The article clearly demonstrates that the values and norms of Y Generation differ considerably from that of the boomer generation who assume managerial and supervisor positions in organizations. Riddle, through the article, makes it clear that it is imperative for baby boomer managers to possess adequate emotional intelligence competencies, skills and strategies to manage, motivate and lead the Y Generation employees. Riddle thus postulates that emotional competencies such as effective communication, teamwork and information sharing play a dominant role in today’s multi-generational workplace and to prove this he elaborately discusses the eight strategies put forwarded by Switzer to best retain employees in organizations. She also points out that modern leadership styles such as democratic, collaborative, democratic and coaching make use of such emotional competences as team work, collaboration, commitment, mediation and harmony. Riddle concludes her article by reinstating that EI competences will become the hallmark of successful organizations and that mangers who make use of the tenets of Emotional Intelligence will meet the needs and desires of the younger generation. This paper seeks to make a critical analysis of the article in terms of the implications of emotional intelligence competence for future generations. Baby boomers versus Y Generation: Implications for organizational management (Who are the baby boomers? Who makes up the Y Generation? How are the individuals entering the workforce different from the supervisors? Why is this important to know?) Employees who are born from 1946 to 1964 are regarded as baby boomers and according to Riddle (2008, p. 8) this generation is “characterized by long work hours, sacrificing family time, and tending to stay with one company or organization for the span of their careers.” On the other hand, the Y Generation who are born from1980 to 2002 prefer balancing their professional life with their personal and family life. It is evident that the Y Generation in their 20’s will gradually become the majority among the total workforce in all the countries. The author points out that the Y Generation is racially and culturally more tolerant than the past generation and are very familiar with modern technologies. It has also been pointed out that the Y Generation tends to show “boredom and frustration with slow-paced environments, traditional hierarchies and even slightly outdated technologies that is almost everything common in most workplaces” (Riddle, 2008, p. 8). The article also pinpoints the possible challenges awaiting companies and organizations in managing Y generation employees and in developing them as prospective leaders of the next generation. The values, norms, and ideals possessed by Y generation vary considerably from the baby boomers. It is thus evident that Y generation will dominate the workforce as more and more baby-boomers retire due to aging. Unlike the baby boomers the norms possessed by Y Generation employees are high expectations of self, high expectations of employers, ongoing learning, immediate responsibility, and goal-oriented behaviour (Riddle, 2008, p. 8). Similarly, the Y Generation possess greater self-esteem, lesser submissiveness or passiveness, non-tolerance towards intimidation or unwanted restrictions and most of them cherish “work opportunities that reflect values and work environments that meet their needs” (Riddle, 2008, p. 10).Therefore, it is imperative that baby boomer managers possess adequate emotional intelligence competencies skills and strategies to manage, motivate and lead the Y Generation employees. Emotional Competencies and corresponding skills (According to the article, emotional intelligence measures what four emotional competencies? What are the corresponding skills to each competency? Why are these so important?) Managers need to develop adequate emotional competences that would equip them in managing Y Generation workforce. Riddle’s article offers an elaborate overview of Goleman’s view that emotional intelligence measures four Emotional Competences consisting of self-awareness, self management, social awareness and relationship management (Riddle, 2008, p. 11). The article also deals with the corresponding skills to each of these competencies. While the emotional competence of self-awareness include such skills as emotional self-awareness, self-assessment and self-confidence the corresponding skills of the emotional competence of self-management consist of self-control, trustworthiness, conscientiousness, adaptability, initiative, and achievement drive (Riddle, 2008, p. 11). Similarly, for Riddle (2008, p. 11) social awareness presupposes such corresponding skills as empathy, service orientation and organizational awareness one should possess communication skills, conflict management skills, leadership abilities, team work skills and collaboration skills for effective relationship management. All these emotional competences are essential for maintaining bridges and alliances among employees, for gaining the emotional commitment of followers, and for creating conducive working environment for the Y Generation. It has also been pointed out that modern leadership styles such as democratic, collaborative, democratic and coaching make use of such emotional competences as team work, collaboration, commitment, mediation and harmony. Democratic leadership style (Looking at Table 1 in the article, which leadership do you use most often? Provide at least two examples, using either a personal or professional experience, to support this. (13). While all the leadership styles have their own positive as well as negative impacts democratic leadership style sounds to be more appealing to me. Collaboration, team leadership and communication are the emotional competences that govern democratic leadership style. In my view any organization can benefit immensely from the wholehearted participation and inputs from its employees. Democratic leadership style promotes valuable inputs from each employee and democratic leaders can very easily build buy-in or consensus among their followers. Besides, emotional competences such as open communication, collaboration, and team work will be highly beneficial for baby boomer managers to lead the Y Generation employees. Best practices for retention (Summarize California's POST “Best Practices Update 2006, Recruitment and Retention.” Include the eight strategies required to best retain employees) Riddle also elaborately discusses the eight strategies put forwarded by Switzer to best retain employees in organizations. Switzer strongly believed that effective communication, teamwork and information sharing could retain effective supervisors and managers within organizations. As such he propagated eight key strategies required to develop and retain employees. These strategies consist of improving skills in supervision, improving management, consistent practice, employing a coaching model with employees, recognizing good performance, being friendly and treating people with dignity and respect, avoiding micro-management, and employing good listening skills (Riddle, 2008, p. 15). It is evident that all these strategies emphasise the need to value and respect the contributions and inputs of each employee. It can thus be noticed that emotional competences such as communication, teamwork, collaboration and recognition are the key to the strategies that Switzer recommends. Conclusions (Discussion of the authors’ conclusions. Do you agree or disagree with him/her? Why?) In conclusion one tends to agree with Riddle’s postulation that emotional competences play a dominant role in today’s multi-generational workplace. As pointed out by the author it is imperative that managers and supervisors realize and address the generational differences between the baby boomers and the Y Generation employees. The author also argues that emotional intelligence competences are very much essential for mangers to address the characteristics of the Y Generation and to convince them that “they are valued and part of a team” (Riddle, 2008, p. 15). The author also points out that EI competences such as open dialogue, open communication and teamwork are essential for effectively managing and leading the Y Generation. Thus the author calls for a radical change in the enforcement of leadership styles over Y Generation employees taking into account their generational differences in norms and EI strategies. References Riddle, Phlunte E. (2008). Leading the Next Generation of Law Enforcement Through Emotional Intelligence. Journal of California Law Enforcement, 42 (1), 7-18. Read More