There is zero correlation between IQ and emotional empathy... They're controlled by different parts of the brain.
Companies in the East put a lot more emphasis on human relationships, while those from the West focus on the product, the bottom line. Westerners appear to have more of a need for achievement, while in the East there's more need for affiliation.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote highlights the differences in cultural values between Eastern and Western companies, emphasizing relationships versus productivity.
Daniel Goleman points out a fundamental divergence in business cultures between the East and the West. He suggests that Eastern companies prioritize human connections and relationships among employees, fostering a sense of affiliation and community, whereas Western companies tend to emphasize measurable outcomes, productivity, and the achievement of financial goals. This contrast underscores how cultural factors shape workplace dynamics and priorities.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
During a company workshop on cultural sensitivity, I shared this quote to illustrate the importance of understanding different business practices in global companies.
More from Daniel Goleman
All quotes →Empathy represents the foundation skill for all the social competencies important for work.
In a very real sense we have two minds, one that thinks and one that feels
Emotions are contagious. We've all known it experientially. You know after you have a really fun coffee with a friend, you feel good. When you have a rude clerk in a store, you walk away feeling bad.
What really matters for success, character, happiness and life long achievements is a definite set of emotional skills - your EQ - not just purely cognitive abilities that are measured by conventional IQ tests.
The emotional brain responds to an event more quickly than the thinking brain.
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