Webinar
Whether pulling together during times of change and uncertainty or sharing positive experiences and celebrating accomplishments, there are people in our close circles and wider social community we can count on for mutual support. Sometimes we choose our relationships; at other times we have less control and need to navigate difficult communication. For our personal success and well-being, it’s important to give attention to our new or challenging interpersonal situations while not taking our dependable connections for granted.
In this webinar we:
- analyzed three components of emotional intelligence: interpersonal relationships, empathy, and social responsibility.
- learned how to identify strengths and opportunities in yourself and others for better communication and collaboration.
- evaluated practical strategies to help you improve these areas in your work and personal life.
Presenter Karin Goettsch, PhD, CPTD, ACC, designs strategic talent and organizational development solutions for leaders, teams, and individuals. She consults and coaches on high-performing global virtual teams, cultural and emotional intelligence, and communication capabilities.
Presented on January 12, 2022.
Webinar Takeaways
“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” — Maya Angelou
Our emotional and social skills establish how well we:
- perceive and express ourselves.
- develop and maintain social relationships.
- cope with challenges.
- use emotional information effectively and meaningfully.
Based on the Interpersonal composite of the EQ-i 2.0 Model (© 2011 Multi-Health Systems Inc.), use the following strategies to build better connections.
Interpersonal Relationships: Develop and maintain mutually satisfying relationships that are characterized by trust and compassion
- Create a networking plan outside of your usual circle.
- Reach out to someone to find some common personal interests.
- Customize a thank you or recognition for someone whose help (big and small) you appreciated.
- Choose the right people to share your gift of energy and trust.
- Keep agreements and demonstrate behaviors which prioritize key relationships (e.g., remember important details, show curiosity, provide support).
- Take a chance and be more open and vulnerable by sharing things that are more personal and specific
- Pause, smile, greet someone and appear more approachable and positive.
Empathy: Recognize, understand, and appreciate how other people feel; being able to articulate your understanding of another’s perspective and behaving in a way that respects others’ feelings
- Observe an empathetic yet effective communicator that you know.
- Plan difficult conversations by balancing empathy with objectivity and expectations.
- Actively listen to someone who reaches out and ask appropriate questions without interrupting, judging, or jumping in to solve their problem.
- Consider limiting talk about a problem to two times; the third time focus on taking action.
- Try to imagine what it would be like to experience something similar and how you would react.
- Commit to clear personal boundaries—know when to say no to avoid compassion fatigue and seek opportunities to take a break and recharge.
- Make a habit of jotting down moments of gratitude, noting what you most appreciate in others.
Social Responsibility: Willingly contribute to society, one’s social groups, and the welfare of others; acting responsibly, having social consciousness and showing concern for the greater community
- Identify opportunities to help others without expecting something in return and make them a habit.
- Encourage an atmosphere of collaboration and responsibility by setting shared norms and behaviors (home, work, community).
- Create inclusive opportunities by noticing times when others are excluded and taking an action or starting a conversation.
- Sit down with someone who knows you well and ask what they see you neglecting or overlooking in your life and the effect it has.
- Be truthful in measuring and adjusting how much time you spend directed at self, family, friends, community.
- Brainstorm individual or group activities related to good causes.
- Pursue a meaningful volunteer role which fits your values and interests (either talents you can offer immediately or a chance to develop new skills).
(Strategies adapted from Crescendo Inc., K. Lanson, H. Rutledge, Global Collaboration Insights)
