When you reply to two your classmates' posts, respectfully agree/disagree to the post and explain why, while offering an opinion with an example to support it with citations and references. Be sure to do one or more of the following:

• Agree and explain why you agree.
• Respectfully disagree and explain why you disagree.
• Offer an opinion with an example to support it.
• Propose an idea or a suggestion.
• Tell a related personal story.
• Respond to the classmates' or the instructor's questions.
• Pose a question and be sure to include your own answer as an example.
• Explain how the discussion question connects to real-life experiences.

Classmate 1:

Emotional Intelligence Characteristic	Admired Leader (Elon Musk - Tesla)	Not Admired Leader (Jeff Bezos - Amazon)
Self-awareness	Musk demonstrates self-awareness by openly acknowledging his strengths and weaknesses, such as his tendency to be overly ambitious. This awareness allows him to seek feedback and make informed decisions.	On the other hand, Bezos has been criticized for his lack of self-awareness, which is evident in his aggressive leadership style and micromanagement tendencies, which have led to employee dissatisfaction and turnover.
Self-regulation	Musk has improved self-regulation, notably in controlling his impulses and temper in challenging situations. His ability to remain composed under pressure enables him to lead Tesla effectively through turbulent times.	Bezos has been known to prioritize results over relationships, leading to instances of ruthlessness and contentious business practices. His lack of self-regulation can contribute to a hostile workplace culture and strained stakeholder relationships.
Motivation	Musk's unwavering drive and passion for innovation are evident in his relentless pursuit of ambitious goals at Tesla, SpaceX, and other ventures. His ability to inspire and rally teams behind his vision has been instrumental in achieving breakthroughs in technology and space exploration.	Bezos's motivation is primarily focused on achieving business success and market dominance, often at the expense of work-life balance and employee well-being. His relentless pursuit of growth can lead to burnout and disengagement among employees.
Empathy	Musk has demonstrated empathy by actively engaging with employees, customers, and stakeholders to understand their perspectives and concerns. He genuinely cares for his team's well-being and strives to create a positive work environment for Tesla and SpaceX.	Bezos has faced criticism for his perceived lack of empathy, particularly regarding labor practices and the treatment of Amazon workers. His focus on efficiency and productivity can sometimes overshadow concerns about employee welfare and satisfaction.
Social Skills	Musk exhibits solid social skills when interacting with diverse stakeholders, from investors to engineers. His ability to communicate complex ideas clearly and inspire collaboration has been crucial in building successful ventures like Tesla and SpaceX.	While skilled in negotiation and networking, Bezos has faced scrutiny for his leadership style, which can be abrasive and demanding. Concerns about his management approach and workplace culture at Amazon often overshadow his social skills.

Reference:

"World's 10 Greatest Leaders."Geeknack, www.geeknack.com/worlds-10-greatest-leaders/.

Classmate 2:

Hi All,

Happy last week!

A leader that I admire is Howard Shultz, the man that transformed Starbucks and created the company that we know today. Shultz is well-known for his empathy and realistic views on corporate world and reality. For example, when building the Starbucks empire, "Howard set out to build a different kind of company -one that delivers business excellence through a culture of compassion. In these early days, Howard created two landmark programs rooted in the fundamental belief that a business can only exceed expectations by sharing success with its people and the communities it serves. First, Starbucks offered comprehensive health coverage for eligible full- and part-time workers, among the first in the retail industry. Second, Starbucks offered partners (employees) equity in the company in the form of stock, called Bean Stock" (Starbucks, n.d.). His focus and dedication to employees no matter demonstrates his EI for empathy and strong social skills.

Additionally, Shultz has incredible self-awareness and self-regulation. When speaking on his return to Starbucks and the troubles the company faced, Shultz admirally explained and acknowledged the following, "The past two years have been transformational for the company and, candidly, for me personally. When I returned, in January 2008, things were actually worse than I'd thought. The decisions we had to make were very difficult, but first there had to be a time when we stood up in front of the entire company as leaders and made almost a confessionthat the leadership had failed the 180,000 Starbucks people and their families. And even though I wasn't the CEO, I had been around as chairman; I should have known more. I am responsible. We had to admit to ourselves and to the people of this company that we owned the mistakes that were made. Once we did, it was a powerful turning point. It's like when you have a secret and get it out: The burden is off your shoulders" (Ignatius, 2017).

A leader that I do not admire, nor do I respect is Elon Musk. It cannot be argued that he is an incredibly apt and smart business man. However, in recent years, his EI has been spotlighted and in my opinion is very low. "Let's be straight: Elon Musk has been extremely successful with his companies (although we will have to see about Twitter). However, Musk's behavior is dictatorial: laying off scores of Twitter employees, taking credit for the accomplishments of others, and more recently, belittling a disabled employee (among other misdeeds). Again, as in the case of Jobs, it is not enough to be successful. A true, good leader needs to also encourage and develop followers, behave in an exemplary and ethical manner (because, after all, high-level leaders are role models), and treat people with dignity and respect" (Riggio, 2023). It was his recent purchase of Twitter that exampled his shortcomings as they relate to his EI.

Ignatius, A. (2017, September 7). The HBR interview: "we had to own the mistakes." Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2010/07/the-hbr-interview-we-had-to-own-the-mistakesLinks to an external site.

Starbucks. (n.d.). Howard Schultz - Starbucks stories. Starbucks Stories. https://stories.starbucks.com/leadership/howard-schultz/Links to an external site.

Riggio, R. (2023, March 10). Is Elon Musk a leadership nightmare?. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/cutting-edge-leadership/202303/is-elon-musk-a-leadership-nightmare#:~:text=While%20Elon%20Musk%20has%20been,them%20with%20respect%20and%20dignityLinks to an external site..