Planting Trees & Leading Change: Why the Ripple Effect of Emotional Intelligence Matters

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE STARTS WITH SELF-AWARENESS

During a recent emotional intelligence workshop, the horses did what they always do – brought a sharp focus to self-awareness. They held up that invisible mirror and, as usual, it led us to some powerful and interesting places.

One of the biggest themes to emerge was the ripple effect that happens when an individual, or even an entire team, starts to become more self-aware. When they begin to notice their habits, manage their own energy and lead by example, it changes everything. You don’t need to shout about it. You just show up differently – in your relationships, your work, your family, your community... And that starts to catch on!

Can authentic leadership exist in a fear-driven world?

One of the participants was a high-ranking Army officer. At one point, she asked a question that caused us all to stop and think:

“Can we ever really hope for a more enlightened world, when so much of it is still driven by war, fear and adrenaline-based leadership?”

It’s a fair question. And not one you can answer with a cheesy coaching quote.

So, I shared something personal instead...

Over the last two years, I’ve planted more than 1,500 trees on my property. I’m now 60! I know full well that those trees won’t amount to much in my lifetime. But does that mean I shouldn’t have planted them?

Leadership and legacy: it’s not about instant results

Because, the things is, we don’t plant trees just for ourselves. And we don’t grow emotional intelligence, compassion or authentic leadership just for our own benefit either.

• We do it for what it makes possible.

• For what it protects.

• For what it can influence, long after we’re gone.

We’re so used to chasing results that we sometimes forget the value of planting something we might never see in full bloom.

Yes, the world is messy. Yes, fear is still driving far too much of what we call leadership. But if we wait for the right moment to start shifting things, it’ll never come. If we only act when there’s a guaranteed outcome, nothing will ever change.

The ripple effect of emotional intelligence

So no, we can’t fix everything. But we can choose to live and lead in a different way... And that’s where the ripple begins.

To borrow a line that’s often attributed to Gandhi: be the change you want to see in the world. He didn’t say the change would happen overnight. He didn’t promise it would be easy. And he certainly didn’t suggest it would all happen in our lifetime.

But he knew that if no one ever starts, nothing ever shifts.

So I’ll keep planting trees.

I’ll keep working with people and horses to grow emotional intelligence, self-awareness and compassionate leadership.

And I’ll trust the ripple to do its work – even if I never get to see where it ends up.