What Happens When the Hard Skills of Science Meet the Soft Skills of People: Can You Transform Your Workplace with 3 Simple Suggestions?
Dr. David Ryback
John Bahcall Auditorium
2pm September 22, 2015
Why is communication so challenging, especially when hard-nosed scientists try to come to grips with the slippery, shifting emotions of ordinary people? How does one explain the infinity of the universe to those who are more comfortable with definite boundaries? And how does the brain make sense of the values of those with whom they disagree—whether these others are foreign enemies, competitive colleagues, friends with different political views, and even spouses and children who see the world from slightly different perspectives?
Dr. David Ryback will explore with us how we see the world through eyes that have unique perspectives, and how to overcome the gap between people utilizing the framework of emotional intelligence (EI). Many dots need to be connected: learning the thinking and feeling functions of our brains, the components of EI, its history and background, some of the research that proves its efficacy, and how to use it in our own lives—both at home and at work. We will discover how the brain can be made healthier through mindfulness despite the stresses of everyday life. Dr. Ryback will share his own arc of learning the deeper essence of EI, from his college days to founding a national conference, to becoming a disciple of one of the greatest psychologists of our era. Finally, we will conclude by offering 3 simple suggestions that can transform your life at work—and even at home
Dr. Ryback earned his degrees in psychology at McGill University, San Diego State University, and the University of Hawaii. In his career as a therapist, professor, author, consultant and world-wide speaker, he has shared his thinking on the core concepts of emotional intelligence and how they are changing business around the world. In his book, Putting Emotional Intelligence to Work: Successful Leadership is More Than IQ, he shows how EI deals with the crisis of leadership, how to control your impulses, how to enjoy the personal benefits of EI, and how to determine an individual’s deeper values by asking two basic questions. His other books are: ConnectAbility (McGraw-Hill), Dreams That Come True (Doubleday), Look 10 Years Younger/Live 10 Years Longer (Prentice Hall), Psychology of Champions (Praeger), and his first (and probably last) novel, Beethoven in Love (Tiger Iron Press).
Dr. Ryback has taught at McGill University, Emory University School of Business, and the University of Maryland Overseas Division. He has written over 60 professional articles and innumerable book reviews in such outlets as Psychology Today, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and is book editor for The American Journal of Family Therapy. He has spoken to audiences across the country as well as in Canada, Mexico, Italy, Austria, Israel, Japan, China and Thailand. His challenge is to help others understand and use the basics of EI to improve all their relationships—especially those in which he is involved.