Quotients

Breaks are rejuvenating. Even self imposed ones. Enough said.

Harvard recently had its graduation ceremony, with the likes of Bill Gates and Bill Clinton gracing the occasion. The dean of the faculty of medicine, Dr. Joseph Martin stepped down after 10 years of service, with a class day address titled "Leading by Listening", where he described 6 qualities of leadership which form the crux of a doctor-patient interaction. The ability to communicate well would determine by large one's gift of healing.
These qualities, referred as quotients by Dr. Martin reflected on his own guiding principles as a leader of HMS.

IQ, "the ability to innovate, to think outside the box, and to construct new and novel scenarios". This being said , he added that intelligence alone does not contribute to good leadership. "Individual brilliance may result in earth-shaking concepts and Nobel Prizes, but of leaders we expect more".

EQ, " The ability to listen and to discern beneath the surface what the other person is really saying. EQ induces curiousity and temerity to understand an alternate perspective, which includes wanting to learn from an other in order to put right one's own views and impressions. EQ is learning to lead by listening and observation".

on a lighter aspect, comes HQ (humor quotient), " which encompasses the ability to use self-deprecation to accomplish an end, to exude a sense of lightness of being and charisma, of good cheer and hope. It is the ability to detoxify a situation by humor or self-effacement, to know how to relax the tension with a comment, a story or a well-told joke. It is the ability to bounce back after an untoward event".

the fourth Q was the CQ (the contentment quotient), " The ability to view things for the best possible outcome-Its the glass half full, not half empty-Optimism not pessimism. It is to feel good about oneself and the role one plays. It balances good will and good cheer with an appropriate balance of anxiety to set things on course and to toe the line towards an end".

Dr. Martin's quotient no: 5 was GQ (generosity quotient). "In many ways, a singularity of leadership success is epitomized in the term 'vicarious living'. Simply put, it is the joy and satisfaction that comes by watching the success of others. In an organizational setting or an effective office practice, it implies freely giving credit where credit is due, recognizing that ' there is no end to what can be accomplished if one does not care who gets the credit'. Another aspect of the GQ is to forgive and forget."

Finally quotient no: 6 was the WQ (wisdom quotient) " The ability to sum things up, to look at a set of circumstances and know when to act, to know when the vectors are aligned to take the next step towards the end game. It includes the ability to understand and know when to apply Machiavellian principles to reach a good end for the circumstances. But WQ applies the principles of fairness, of reaching the decision that is the best for the most, characterized by equity and equality when possible. Wisdom is sound judgement, a great skill in clinical medicine."

Dr. Martin concluded his speech by saying that all the above mentioned qualities of intelligence, emotional connectivity, good humor, happiness, generosity and sound judgement can be enhanced by good listening and that these quotients, which need not be quantifiable as traits would form a framework to guide one through life.