The Crisis at the Palm Oil Mill
It was a sweltering afternoon when the palm oil mill’s boiler suddenly tripped. Alarms echoed, operators rushed, and panic filled the control room. For a moment, all eyes turned to Hana, the mill manager.
This was the test of her leadership — not just her engineering skills, but her emotional intelligence [1].
1. Self-Awareness
Hana felt her heart racing, fear bubbling inside. She took a deep breath.
“Yes, I’m anxious,” she admitted to herself silently, “but if I let fear show, the team will lose confidence.”
By recognizing her emotions, she prevented herself from reacting impulsively [2].
2. Self-Regulation
Instead of shouting or blaming, Hana calmly instructed:
“Check the drum water level. Monitor the safety valve. No one panic.”
Her steady tone helped the operators settle. The situation was tense, but she maintained discipline — like a boiler blowdown that releases just enough pressure without causing damage [3].
3. Motivation
Even when the problem dragged late into the night, Hana didn’t give up.
“We will restart safely, no shortcuts,” she told her tired team.
Her drive wasn’t just about protecting production targets — it was about protecting lives and building trust [4]. The team saw her resilience and followed her lead.
4. Empathy
During a short break, Hana noticed one young technician trembling. He was new, clearly overwhelmed.
She sat beside him:
“I know this is frightening. I was in your shoes once. Don’t worry, you’re not alone — we’ll fix this together.”
The technician’s shoulders relaxed. Her empathy gave him courage to continue [5].
5. Social Skills
Once the boiler was stabilized and operations resumed, Hana gathered her team.
She didn’t just give technical instructions. She spoke about teamwork, lessons learned, and gratitude:
“Tonight, we didn’t just save the mill. We proved that we are stronger together.”
Her ability to inspire turned a crisis into a bonding moment [6].
🌟 The Lesson
Later, standing outside the mill with the night breeze carrying the smell of palm fruit, Hana reflected:
“Engineering knowledge kept me in this role, but emotional intelligence kept us safe tonight.”
She realized that true leadership wasn’t just about managing machines — it was about managing emotions, relationships, and trust [7].
And in that moment, Hana understood why emotional intelligence matters more than IQ [8].
📚 References / Footnotes
- Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ. Bantam Books.
- Salovey, P., & Mayer, J.D. (1990). Emotional Intelligence. Imagination, Cognition and Personality, 9(3), 185–211.
- Cherniss, C. (2010). Emotional Intelligence: Toward Clarification of a Concept. Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 3(2), 110–126.
- Ryan, R.M., & Deci, E.L. (2000). Self-Determination Theory and the Facilitation of Intrinsic Motivation, Social Development, and Well-Being. American Psychologist, 55(1), 68–78.
- Boyatzis, R.E., & McKee, A. (2005). Resonant Leadership: Renewing Yourself and Connecting with Others Through Mindfulness, Hope, and Compassion. Harvard Business School Press.
- Kouzes, J.M., & Posner, B.Z. (2017). The Leadership Challenge. Wiley.
- George, J.M. (2000). Emotions and Leadership: The Role of Emotional Intelligence. Human Relations, 53(8), 1027–1055.
- Goleman, D. (1998). Working with Emotional Intelligence. Bantam Books.
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