Emotional Intelligence is not for the weak at heart…

Way back in May of this year, I discussed emotional intelligence and its role within highly effective teams. Today, I’m going to discuss emotional intelligence as it relates to personal leadership.

In this case, I’ll be talking about taking responsibility for our own emotional well-being, specifically self-awareness, empathy, self-care, self-regulation, and social skills.

Why are all of these so important in the workplace?

When we are self-aware, we are aware of our emotions, thoughts, behaviors, mindsets, etc., and how all those variables impact our behavior. This goes back to taking responsibility for what we do regardless of what others are doing.

When we have empathy, we are not only aware of how others are feeling but also take note of how we’re responding. This goes back to taking responsibility for what we do in response to what others are doing.

When we have Self-Care, we are taking care of our mind, body, and spirit so that we can do whatever it is that needs doing. This goes back to taking responsibility for ourselves… period!

When we Self-Regulate, we can navigate and shift our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors in a healthy way to make decisions and reach goals that benefit ourselves and others.

When we have strong social skills, we’re better communicators which impacts our ability to collaborate and problem-solve.

What happens when emotional intelligence is low or we’re lacking in one area or another?

Well, when we’re not self-aware we can get burned out or lash out at others. This impacts our teammates and the rest of the organization.

When we don’t do self-care regularly, it’s hard to self-regulate. And when it’s hard to self-regulate, it’s really hard to practice empathy. And when we don’t have empathy, it's super hard to have strong work relationships.

When we don’t have strong social skills, our relationships don’t do well, which impacts everyone, including the children and families we work with.

Can you imagine what your program would be like if everyone took personal responsibility for their emotional well-being?

 If this sounds like something your program could use support with, contact me at deidre.harris@teamagreements.com, and we can discuss how I can help.