Daniel Goleman’s 1995 best-seller, Emotional Intelligence. Why It Can Matter More Than IQ, poses this question: What makes a leader? He cites (in order of importance) five characteristics: 1) self-awareness, 2) self-regulation, 3) motivation, 4) empathy, and 5) social skill. Goleman says the one of the hallmarks of “self-awareness” is “a realistic self-assessment.” But he fails to resolve this tension: How can anyone know if their self-assessment is indeed realistic?
2000 years ago, self-awareness was called conscience. The Greeks believed conscience was determined by focusing mostly on the inner self (they didn’t oppose “religion,” only those faiths that claimed to be binding on all humankind). The early Christians differed — they felt that conscience looked outward and upward and that God’s assessment was binding on all humankind. The Christian view also encouraged tough moral appraisals from friend and foe because of our capacity to be self-deceived. The Greeks didn’t have that going for them.
Roman society came to see the Christian view as a better bet. Western civilization flourished under leaders with a realistic self-assessment rooted in God. These leaders contributed to stable communities, healthy capitalism, strong marriages, and civil societies.
2000 years later, the Pete Rose spectacle is part of the eclipse of the Christian view of conscience and “self-awareness.” Although I doubt Pete understands this, he is, in effect, betting that Western society is moving back toward the Greek view of moral self-assessment. Rose — like so many recent moral failures in business, politics, and sports — relies on his own “self-assessment” to assess his character. He doesn’t show remorse because he’s “not built that way.” Does this sound like a realistic self-awareness? Or is it self-deception?
Rose is betting that “religious” views on morality are receding and the Greek view is growing once again. But it’s his worst bet yet. I think Goleman is a better bet. In business, sports, politics, and society in general, the best leaders know that emotional intelligence does indeed matter more that IQ. The best leaders are realistically self-aware. They cultivate a healthy conscience.
But it still leaves us with a fundamental question: Which way do we look to develop our conscience? Were the Greeks right — do we look inside ourselves to understand our present state? Or is the Christian view a better bet — submitting to God’s view of our moral health?
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