Table Of ContentPRAISE FOR THE HEART OF A LEADER
“The Heart of a Leader: 52 Emotional Intelligence Insights to Advance Your
Career is a concise pocket-guide reference for navigating the career
ecosystem. Kristin Harper has successfully created a toolkit to support
leaders through the trenches of professional development.” —Ariana
Martin, DO, coauthor of Her Story: Heartache, Happiness, and Hiccups
Along the Way
“If it comes from the heart, it sticks in the mind, and Harper has
provided the glue: 52 high-EQ insights to help you ascend in a way
that lets you keep your soul.” —Scott Mautz, keynote speaker; au-
thor of Make it Matter and Find the Fire
“So you want to do better, and you want do good in this world. This
is the book for you—and me. Harper’s message and memoir tell
us what it takes to succeed and how to be ‘truly human.’” —David
Lawrence, retired Miami Herald publisher; chair of The Children’s
Movement of Florida
The Heart of a Leader
The Heart of a Leader
52 Emotional Intelligence Insights
to Advance Your Career
Kristin Harper
ROWMAN & LITTLEFIELD
Lanham • Boulder • New York • London
Published by Rowman & Littlefield
An imprint of The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc.
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, Maryland 20706
www.rowman.com
6 Tinworth Street, London SE11 5AL, United Kingdom
Copyright © 2020 by The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by
any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval
systems, without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who
may quote passages in a review.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information Available
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Harper, Kristin, author.
Title: The heart of a leader : 52 emotional intelligence insights to advance your career /
Kristin Harper.
Description: Lanham : Rowman & Littlefield, 2020. | Includes bibliographical
references and index. | Summary: “Most employees are taught to work hard then wait
to be recognized and rewarded. This has left millions of employees disappointed,
dissatisfied, and stuck. Advancing your career requires not only technical competence
(the “what”) but also careful skills (the “how”). While some employees are lucky
enough to have mentors to guide them along their career journey, even fewer have
sponsors. This leaves a huge gap for millions of employees who aspire for more in
their careers but lack a personal guide to help them navigate an uncertain and often
treacherous job terrain. The Heart of a Leader: 52 Emotional Intelligence Insights to
Advance Your Career uncovers insider secrets on leadership for go-getters who aren’t
satisfied with status quo careers. Authored by Kristin Harper, the book is based on
over 20 years of firsthand experience climbing the proverbial corporate ladder. When
Harper graduated from business school, she had the technical skills to succeed, but
she wasn’t equipped to navigate the politics, personalities, and changing priorities
that accompany the work environment. Through a combination of hard work,
sound guidance from mentors, and a commitment to continuous improvement, she
was named vice president of a Fortune 15 company in her 30s. Strengthening her
emotional intelligence (EI) was a critical enabler of her success. Now, she’s sharing
these insights with you”—Provided by publisher.
Identifiers: LCCN 2019057237 (print) | LCCN 2019057238 (ebook) | ISBN
9781538132623 (cloth) | ISBN 9781538132630 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Leadership—Psychological aspects. | Emotional intelligence. |
Career development.
Classification: LCC BF637.L4 H367 2020 (print) | LCC BF637.L4 (ebook) |
DDC 658.4/092—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019057237
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019057238
The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American
National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library
Materials, ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992.
To those who are committed to creating
better outcomes for their organizations
and experiencing a more satisfying career
that unleashes their potential
Contents
52 Emotional Intelligence Insights to Advance Your Career ix
Foreword xi
Acknowledgments xiii
Introduction 1
1 Why Great Performance Isn’t Enough 5
2 Your Boss Isn’t the Enemy 33
3 What You Need to Lead but Won’t Learn in
Business School 47
4 Using Emotional Intelligence to Influence People
and Organizations 75
5 Politics: Play or Get Played 99
6 Dealing with Disappointment 117
7 Mastering Emotional Self-Management 139
Quick Reference Guide: 52 Insights across Twelve
Emotional Intelligence Competencies 157
Notes 163
Bibliography 173
Index 181
About the Author 185
ix
