Theme 5: Developing EI is Dependent on Experiences
based on an inductive analysis of participant responses, linked to EI. Developmental
interventions (such as rotational assignments), defining experiential moments, and other
participant perspectives are shared in Table 4.9, below. This theme’s essence drew on
the broad expanse of experiences that shaped and built EI. Experiences were considered
as learning in nature, even outside those a formal developmental program. Participants
were apt to conclude that EI development emanated from a rich landscape of experiences.
Table 4. 9
4.9 Representative Theme 5 Statements
Participant Descriptive Code In Vivo Statement
A3 DEVELOPMENTEIPRESSURE “you have to invest in those people below you not only in their knowledge and training, but also giving
them assignments that help develop them, push them,
stretch them – so that the organization ultimately is
going to benefit from their success”
R8 DEVELOPMENT “I’m skeptical about how well you can teach it (EI)”
A2 EXPERIENCE ‘biggest influence has just been the experience along
the way”
A4 LEARNINGDEVELOPMENT “those (e.g., political savvy) are learned things ... only so much you can teach”
A3 ROTATION “and so I got pulled out of the organization ... and asked to head up this group”
R9 DEVELOPMENT “I really didn’t have much ... of the social type of
courses”
A4 EXPERIENCE “it was a great growing experience”
A2 ROTATION “(rotational assignment) was a fascinating experience
... best educational year I had in my whole life”
A3 EIPRESSURE “I was the steadying force for a chaotic situation”
R1 REFLECT
EXPERIENCE
“I opened myself up to that experience”
A2 OPPORTUNITY “gain an appreciation for opportunity timing”
A2 ROTATION “see how the other half lives”
A4 DEVELOPMENT “you can only go so far in design”
A7 DEVELOPMENT “that’s an area where the present civil service system really falls on its face ... civil service is not