The next step in the journey...

The next step is to support your team(s) in building their emotional management skill sets, which would give your team(s) the ability to navigate emotional ebbs and flows that can push a team towards success or disaster. 

Emotional management entails reading emotions accurately and reacting in ways that benefit the team's work, internal and external relationships, and the organization's overall goals.

And like all emotional intelligence skills, one person on a team can make all the difference. This means, while helpful, it doesn't require the entire team to know what to do, nor does it require that team administrators shoulder all the responsibility. All it takes is one person to notice the need and say the right thing to help the team avoid being swept away by an emotional current. Below are a few strategies for building and supporting emotional management from Dr. Greaves's book, Team Intelligence 2.0.:

• Use a strategy like Team Agreements to help the team set norms and enforce them lightly.

• I often talk about bright spots - or looking for the positive in situations. There's a lot of research about the benefits of finding and spreading positivity.

• Ask for and share different perspectives. Consider establishing a norm (see above) that ensures each person's perspective is heard and respected.

• Create an image or a list of what your team looks like when it's healthy. For example, ask the team what healthy looks, sounds, and feels like in their given setting.

• Set aside time for problem-solving. This strategy is best when not in the middle of the problem or when things are getting heated.