Amazing how having a monopoly on services affects your attitude towards customers - Even if customers are your bosses.

Hey at least the US taxpayers didn't pay for this study...or maybe we did!

For those of you that continually bash our public employees, here's the last two sentences from the quoted article.

"We believe that the high level of organizational politics in the public sector and the stress associated with it decrease the positive effects of emotional intelligence for this sector," Dr. Meisler concluded.

DUH!!!

It was an Israeli study, so yes, U.S. taxpayers probably paid for it, and no, the City of Portland will not accept its findings. They will have the same study tried again with an Amsterdam university (or will keep trying it over and over again) until the city gets the results that it wants - that public employees instill leadership and a community culture, while private employees are disinterested in process and look out for only themselves.

Is "emotional intelligence" a little oxymoronic, or is it just me? I'm not trying to be snarky, but really, I thought that "feeling" and "thinking" were somewhat different breeds. I understand it's the combination of rational thought with emotional consideration, but it just sounds kind of humorous to me.

For those of you that continually bash our public employees, here's the last two sentences from the quoted article.

That's actually a bad thing if you take the time to read up on the definition of emotional intelligence. I haven't read this study yet, but it appears this particular conclusion indicates that public agencies can have very political organizational structures such that people with high emotional intelligence (which is a good measure of the capacity to lead others, mediate conflicts, etc.) do not necessarily move up the ranks into positions where they are most effective (and correspondingly happier with their own work).

"do not necessarily move up the ranks into positions where they are most effective"

Looking at Portland city, I'd say that is a truism (prime example - if you think Randy Leonard cares about what the average Portland taxpayers cares you are in fantasy land.)

Emotional intelligence in a nutshell means being sensitive to the needs of others. I don't think it is the street-level city employee that is the issue. They are slaves to the revenue generating structure that comes up with new ways to generate fees and SDCs.

As proof, just try and do a Change of Use with BDS and you'll pay mightily ($50K-$75K)for even stupid simple things like moving your business across the street with no other changes. In addition, SDCs are pushing $25K/permit whether you try to build a $1.5M or $150K house, so don't expect any growth there. Unless you are G-E or Home and have a permanent get-out-of-jail-free card with Portland.

Might be a reason why new employers probably start in Wash/Clack counties.

I had heard that the private sector was nasty and brutish. Is this telling me otherwise? ;)

Steve -

Your comment is spot-on. I've long given up on any bureaucrat understanding that ratcheting up SDC's "to increase revenue" only has the opposite effect and it hurts us all and (ironically) only decreases their revenue. They should all be required to take Econ 101 before making any public policy...but "Keep Portland Wierd".

I'm no fan of development and understand that SDC's are necessary to an extent, but I've seen so many businesses leave or choose not to come here at all since Portland's fees doubled in the last 24 months...it truly is disasterous policy for the City, but probably a gift to neighboring jurisdictions...

Can they really be that stupid? Yes, yest they can...or do they just lack emotional intelligence?

I think that the point the article/study is trying to make, is that people working in the public sector are not permitted to exercise their emotional intelligence.

Unless you are on board with the political agenda of the day,you are encouraged and/or directed to keep your opinions to yourself, and do as you're told. This practice is no more evident than right here in P-Town.

I find a bit of naiveté in all of this. Because let's face it, the big boys and girls in the private sector don't really care about the middle or working class, whether they are customers or employees. They care about their huge bonuses and perks. Otherwise, they would not be outsourcing, off-shoring, and ensuring crappy customer service (press 1 for... blah blah blah). Sorry but as a drone of the private sector for the last 30 plus years, I find it all a joke. Most of the middle class have been getting wages don't actually keep up with the cost of living and it doesn't matter which sector they are in. I have a teacher friend who has gotten pay cuts for each of the last 2 years to my no increase and increase under the cost of inflation.

"They should all be required to take Econ 101 before making any public policy"

Hey, Randy tried to run a janitorial service that flopped before he discovered the gravy train as a public employee.

BTW - I do mean gravy train, saw on Yahoo that DC now has the highest percentage of family incomes >$200K of any state in the USA.

"the big boys and girls in the private sector don't really care about the middle or working class, whether they are customers or employees."

At least when the guys running GM (or whatever) screw up they lose their jobs for that. Name me a non-elected lifer in public service that ever happens to. Plus, like me, if you don't like Chevy for being such a poorly run company, then you don't have to buy a Chevy and participate in their idiocy.

Try that when your water bill goes up 30+% in two years for no good reason.

"At least when the guys running GM screw up they lose their jobs for that."

Wrong - When GM (and other huge corps) screw up, they get an Obama bailout!

If you think you are living in a capitalist society - you have bought into a lot of horseshite lies that your wealthy dictators have sold you.

Wake up!

Frank can see the forest for the trees.

I've long maintained that the economy of the future will be a bizarre hybrid of the worst aspects of robber-baron capitalism and despotic statist socialism. No room for little mom-n-pop businesses, total corporate hegemony, and an over-the-top, ultra high-tech totalitarian police state to keep the proles in line.

"When GM (and other huge corps) screw up"

At least they got fired and then Obama put in someone who knew nothing of the auto business to run it.

Besides, if you think I am eever going to buy a GM product cause they took that handout unlike Ford who didn't, you're wrong.

after reading this and wondering what the heck emotional intellect was, i took an online "EI" test. i scored low, they sed i needed to seek help with my emotions. f**k that test.

Even when corporations "fire" execs, there are still lovely little golden parachutes for them. So really, I wouldn't say that's any measure of justice. And many of the Wall St. execs got away with all kinds of things and kept their jobs and their freedom (because if the wicks at the DOJ wanted to prosecute there are certainly actionable things out there for some of that crew).

"Even when corporations "fire" execs, there are still lovely little golden parachutes for them."

How long have Neil and his lieutenants been running this state? You can start with Kitz' staff or PoP. And Neil was a child rapist.

I'd say injustice extends beyond the private sector.

Funny, isn't it, how Portland's most illustrious, liberal, and progressive mayor-then-governor turned out to be a pædophile, now protected by a legal technicality, and our most illustrious, liberal, and progressive current mayor turned out to be a pædophile, protected by a legal technicality.

Makes one wonder what's going on around here.