Emotional Intelligence

Description

Learning Objectives: ■ to find out about the topic in an interactive way ■ to enable participants to explore their levels of Emotional Intelligence (EI) ■ to build a list of the skills and attributes associated with good EI ■ to find out ways to improve levels of EI ■ to help staff make their performance at work (and in life) more rewarding More about the activity: Good emotional intelligence skills in managers and staff help to create a positive work environment in which productivity, staff well-being, and morale can prosper, so much so, that many employers place greater emphasis on EI than on IQ. In this activity, participants, working in small teams, are shown a set of 30 cards. Each card poses a question that relates, in some way, to emotional intelligence. It could ask participants to consider how they might regulate their own emotions in a given situation, what strong personal values they hold, that help structure their actions and decisions, or whether or not they agree with a given statement. There are three types of cards: Response, Task, and Yes/No cards. For each card, participants record their response - first in terms of their response and then as a consensus team response. The individual response allows for self-analysis and through trying to reach a team consensus, the card is aired, shared, and discussed. People learn from hearing viewpoints from others and having to give reasons to support their own. The activity is not in any way a test. Each member of the team has their forms, so any notes participants make about themselves are strictly for their eyes only. Together, the cards show how EI is about self-awareness, self-restraint, empathy, self-esteem, and good social skills - and about regulating emotions rather than allowing them to take center stage. After the debrief, to round off, there is a handout for individuals to take away, to use as an aide-memoire.