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Develop Emotional Intelligence

DANIEL GOLEMAN is credited with bringing the concept of emotional intelligence to the masses.²² He and other researchers have discovered that emotions play an ever-present role in our working lives—more than most people originally thought. Emotional intelligence (EI) and the ability to stay in tune with, and regulate, potentially detrimental behaviors are significant variables that determine success and satisfaction in all walks of life—including personal relationships.

In essence, EI is about understanding and identifying our emotions, regulating ineffective emotions, and responding to, and being aware of, emotions in others. This is an important concept because doing so helps an individual establish positive relationships with others, which, along with trust, is a foundational concept in leadership. Similar to self-awareness, EI is about connecting with others on a deeper level.

So how is EI developed? A starting place may be a relevant reading assignment and subsequent discussion. Next, ask each team member to identify one question about the article and your team and begin a dialogue. If you think one member of the team could benefit more than the whole, build this activity into his or her development plan (see Tip #36: Foster Growth Through Personal Development Plans).

There are many ways to take this look within, using the core concepts of emotional intelligence as a foundation. Some learning opportunities are more expensive than others and involve more time, such as 360-degree feedback processes followed with coaching by someone trained in EI. Less expensive means are simple strategies such as providing an article on emotional intelligence for everyone to read and asking participants to share one area for improvement. Or, if the individual focus is a bit too threatening for some, and we certainly understand this, one activity we have used with our own clients is to conduct the same exercise with the team. For example, team members could share one aspect of emotional intelligence that the team is particularly good at and one that needs improvement, and then develop a potential action plan for improvement.

There are many places to turn to for more information on EI. Here are a few websites we respect and admire:

http://www.unh.edu/emotional_intelligence/

http://www.reuvenbaron.org/

http://www.eiconsortium.org/