The Great Hunt - Chapters 2 & 3 [#100Days, Day 37]

Emotional Intelligence III: Rand

    The next two chapters continue to follow Rand's attempts to escape Fal Dara and break free from the Aes Sedai.  His failure to act earlier continues to compound as he finds himself thwarted at every avenue for escape: the stable hands aren't allowed to saddle his horse and the gate guards were issued strict orders to allow no one in or out.  During Rand's stubborn search for a way out, he runs into his friends.  Mat, Perrin and Loial don't know that Rand can channel and is doomed to madness.  They offer to join him, but Rand harshly dismisses their offers.

    Displaying emotions to achieve an objective can be an effective tactic.  I've always said that anger is like a nuclear weapon - people should know you've got it and it should be used sparingly, if ever.  Used too often, emotions can cause a toxic environment.  In this case, Rand is, somewhat paradoxically, being both emotionally intelligent* and controlled by his emotions.  He deliberately uses anger to achieve an objective: drive his friends away, in order to protect them from himself, or what he fears he will become.  Unfortunately, this protectiveness stems from a mind ruled by fear and uncertainty.  There is no timeline towards the madness that Rand fears, the end state simply exists at a point in the future.  To be clear, Rand is a complete dick to his friends.  At no point does a leader have cause to berate and belittle friends or team members. 

*Note: Emotional intelligence in this case is the choice to deliberately use an emotion to achieve an objective.