Daniel Goleman (Emotional Intelligence; A Force for Good) brings his decades of expertise on emotional intelligence and how to cultivate it to Optimal, a collaboration with coauthor and fellow psychologist Cary Cherniss (Promoting Emotional Intelligence in Organizations), showing how to harness empathy and self-awareness, among other things, in the service of ongoing optimal performance.
The authors define "optimal" in an attainable, realistic way: that a person finish their day satisfied rather than focusing on an unattainable perfectionism. "Being in a good mood underlies the signs of high performance, and enhances both attention and intention--for instance, being better able to see the big picture...." Key to achieving an optimal state of both performance and satisfaction are the attributes of self-mastery, empathy, social skills, and stress resilience, all of which contribute to the quality of life that people enjoy while doing their best work.
Across four sections, they investigate the components of "optimal performance," and why the present moment requires an understanding of how to implement them. They first explore what characterizes an optimal state and how emotional intelligence aids in getting there. For instance, daily meditation and active listening are tools that anyone can cultivate. The authors then extend those practices to improving not only one's performance but interpersonal relationships as well, eventually showing how effective behaviors and practices can spread across an entire workplace. Ultimately, the book casts its eye forward to how the competencies the authors relate will serve readers in the face of an ever-changing world of work. --Elizabeth DeNoma, executive editor, DeNoma Literary Services, Seattle, Wash.