“When dealing with people, remember you are not dealing with creatures of logic, but creatures of emotion, creatures bristling with prejudice and motivated by pride and vanity.” —Dale Carnegie

We truly are creatures of emotion. Think about it: getting up in the middle of the night to adjust the air conditioning for your dog doesn’t seem logical, but many of us do it because of our emotional attachment to this special creature. And, in politics, every decision has an emotional component. Think about those times when a well-presented, well-documented agenda item was presented to your city or county board, and they voted against your recommendation with little explanation. Without some grasp of what triggers the emotional aspect of their decision, one could be left befuddled, bemused, and unprepared for future responses that don’t follow “logical reasoning,” whatever that is. So how does one grasp this concept and effectively channel the inevitable emotional influence that permeates our daily decisions in life? How do we become emotionally intelligent?

There are several different models about what emotional intelligence (EI) means and the thinking, like with most concepts, has evolved over the years. However, there seems to be a general consensus that it involves an individual’s recognition of their own emotions, an understanding of the triggers that impact these emotions, the capacity to acknowledge and control their response to these triggers, and an astute recognition of others’ emotions with the ability to effectively listen and respond in a manner that builds positive and productive relationships. Wow! A mouthful, and easier said than done, yet a critical mindset for successful local government managers who must deal daily with humans who are “creatures of emotion.”

ICMA Student Chapter Symposium

On April 4, 2025, the ICMA student chapter at Florida Gulf Coast University hosted a half-day symposium in partnership with the Florida City and County Management Association (FCCMA) to explore this emotional aspect of decision-making in a program titled, “Emotional Intelligence (EI) for Local Government Leaders.” The student chapter co-sponsors a symposium of similar format with FCCMA every semester and student chapter officers serve as moderators with 18-20 MPA students and a like number of area local government professionals attending, along with a select group of local government managers serving as panelists.

The itinerary for this most recent symposium included an overview of the topic by David Ritz, a consultant and former Florida public administrator, followed by a panel discussion featuring city and county managers from southwest Florida, who provided insights on the “practical application” of EI for local government leaders.

Symposium Take-Aways

Intelligence quotient (IQ) is different from emotional quotient (EQ). One’s IQ can be tested and is influenced by both heredity and environment. It doesn’t typically change much, remaining more fixed. One’s EQ can also be tested, in this case for emotional intelligence and, notably, can be improved and consistently developed.

There are four subconstructs of EI. As previously stated, there are numerous models with somewhat differing nomenclature to explain EI. The symposium presenter, David Ritz, chose to paraphrase the four constructs developed by Daniel Goleman found in an article written by Crystal Ott. These constructs include self-awareness, self-control, social awareness, and relationship management.

1. Self-Awareness: Self-awareness is the willingness to honestly and routinely assess how you are “wired” to address the moment. Ritz used an example about when one sees danger, the body is flooded with adrenaline (fight or flight symptoms) and it feels like they are being verbally attacked. How does one address the moment? How does one control their impulses? For example, when one must deal with a fanatic individual—someone who Winston Churchill would say “can’t change their mind and won’t change the subject,”—how does one understand/plan for the emotional triggers they will inevitably experience?

2. Self-Control: Ben Franklin quipped, “He that can compose himself is wiser than he that composes books.” Self-control is the ability to adapt to situations regardless of one’s personal emotions and opinions on the matter, and be able to respond in a calm, helpful, and productive manner. It’s a muscle that can be strengthened by controlling our emotions, celebrating the actions of others, and fostering compassion.

Understanding your emotional triggers are a prerequisite to controlling your responses. Panelist Mark Cunningham, assistant administrator of Sarasota County, reminded everyone of the multigenerational cliche that “this too shall pass.” He reminded attendees, “When a manager fights with their board and loses, the manager loses, and when the manager fights with their board and wins, the manager still loses.”

Ritz followed up with advice for managers to “speak in such a way that people love to listen to you and to listen in such a way that people love to talk to you.” You don’t have to be agreeable all the time but, using another mutigenerational cliché, “how you say something can be more important than what you say.” Ritz also emphasized the importance of having “credit in the bank.” In this case, “saying positives whenever warranted so that you can occasionally discuss something you don’t like.” Bonita Spring City Manager Arleen Hunter reminded attendees about the importance of “checking your ego at the door,” a concept consistent with the Carnegie quote at the beginning of this article that reminds us of the unfortunate influence of human pride.

3. Social Awareness: Dale Carnegie famously said, “You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.” Social awareness is one’s ability to understand and empathize with others around them. This may be done through communication, conflict management, and adjusting leadership styles that best benefit individuals.

Ritz said, “To be understood, one must first understand.” Sarasota County Administrator Jonathan Lewis mentioned his use of Myers-Briggs personality testing to assist him in understanding others in the workplace. He emphasized the importance of managers knowing the personal lives of their elected officials and staff so they can relate on a more emotional level, and, thus, “EI can be managed for good.”

Collier County Manager Amy Patterson reinforced the importance of understanding elected officials individually and collectively and understanding their relationships with each other, as well as the manager’s responsibility to consciously not take board decisions personally.

4. Relationship Management: Relationship management is one’s ability to maintain effective leadership as well as build collaboration and trust among people. Ritz stressed that relationships are primary and the basis of all interactions stem from this initial connection. He explained that many emotions are reciprocated; thus, while it may take more effort to present oneself as positive and uplifting, the effect that this emotional cue has on others can lead to an overall positive environment. It enables leaders to “set the tone” for their workplace and employees.

Ritz opined that everyone, especially leaders in local government roles, should be working to improve their ability to understand their own emotions and the emotions of others around them, and that curiosity—not judgement—is the key to growing emotional intelligence.

Conclusion

According to one of the MPA student attendees at the symposium, Jaylee Ciaschini, the most important lessons of the symposium reinforced the notion that emotional Intelligence is not a fixed skill, but rather a trait that can and should be developed. Everyone, especially leaders in local government roles, should be working to improve their ability to understand their emotions and the emotions of those around them. Those with emotional intelligence are better able to lead with empathy and cultivate a sense of trust—a skill that will undoubtedly be used in any professional setting.

There may still be people who believe that getting up in the middle of the night to adjust your air conditioning for your dog doesn’t seem logical, but I’m certain that twentieth century humourist Will Rogers would disagree. After all, he once proclaimed, “I loved a dog. He does nothing for political reasons.”

DR. ROBERT E. LEE, ICMA-CM, is an associate professor at Florida Gulf Coast University and faculty advisor for the university’s ICMA student chapter.