Assignment:
CASE STUDY
TOPIC: UNDERSTANDING INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP BEHAVIOUR - INDIVIDUAL PERSPECTIVE
Jimmy Wilson, an Aboriginal man, manages an art gallery in his local community called Deadly Arts. The gallery is community owned and Jimmy is guided by a Board of Elders comprised of people who have previously worked as artists. Local artists use the gallery as a space to make their art and the gallery exhibits/sells the art at commission prices as agreed amongst the artists and Elders and the gallery focuses on sustainability of business. Jimmy's usual Assistant Gallery Manager has taken a year off for Maternity Leave, and Jimmy wasn't able to find a local to replace his Assistant Gallery Manager, so he employed, Imogen, from the capital city because she provided references to say that she was experienced in working with a commercial gallery and in her interview said that while she was not experienced in working with Aboriginal people, she was keen to learn.
Two months into her time at the gallery, Imogen has asked to attend a board meeting to pitch a new idea to senior gallery management and Elders. Imogen announces that she has initiated a new product line for the gallery and she is confident in presenting her actions as she believes she has shown initiative and will be making a profit for the gallery. She informs the gathering that she has engaged a low cost overseas manufacturing organisation, provided them with art by artists of the gallery, so they can print the art on low cost items and sell them for a profitable margin. She has shown samples of the products from the overseas producer, including plastic phone cases and water bottles, to demonstrate how the artist's art transfers to these new products. Imogen completes her presentation and leaves the meeting.
After the meeting, Jimmy lets Imogen know that the board raised concerns over the new product line extension and the way that Imogen had acted individually and valued the cost of production over the employing of locals. Imogen is frustrated as she feels that her initiative is undervalued, she has made a clear argument for cost saving measures, and that the Board is valuing social returns to the community over economic returns.
What is your understanding of Emotional Intelligence and why do you think it is important for Employees to develop good emotional intelligence? Explain briefly in your own words.