Emotional Intelligence

THE CASE FOR PROMOTING EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE IN THE WORKPLACE
Over recent years there have been a number of studies which have looked at the qualities which are most important for leadership and personal success in business. There is a growing body of research done by persons in academia, the public sector and private sector organizations which has established that it takes more than technical skills, motivation and ability to get along with people.

“Emotional Intelligence is basically the ability to accurately identify and understand one’s own emotional reaction and those of others. It involves the ability to regulate one’s emotions to use them to make good decisions and to act effectively. Emotional Intelligence is the basis for personal qualities such as self confidence, personal integrity, knowledge of personal strengths and weaknesses, resilience in times of change or adversity, self motivation, perseverance and the knack of getting along with others”

 EI is not new, it is a fact that more than ever, data is available about what matters for successful action at work. Coping with the rapid pace of change in organizations daily, requires patience, self-discipline and flexibility. As results of this fact, companies such as General Electric spend $1 Billion on leadership programmes , most of which focus on social and emotional competencies associated with emotional intelligence. 
As a result of the rapid changes globally, organizations are shrinking in size. The people who remain are more accountable, they must interact with more peers, more subordinates and more customers. They must become more adept at handling not only relationships but also feelings – their own and others’.

The Centre for Creative Leadership studied executives who had derailed and found that the problem was never a deficit in cognitive ability but the failure was due mainly to traits such as rigidity and poor relationships. The conclusion is that IQ and EI work together for effective action in the organization. Without EI, cognitive abilities suffer. For instance, when one becomes upset, the ability to process information and make decisions diminishes. 

The trends show that the next generation of workers will be weaker still in EI. It is felt that workers will possess less social and emotional qualities that are effective for effective performance. Unlike IQ, our emotional intelligence is trainable and so organizations will see returns on investment for any training programme which develops the social and emotional competencies which are necessary for success.

Future Skills is pleased to introduce this invaluable leadership coaching and training programme in the diverse and ever changing workplace in Jamaica and the Caribbean.

FUTURE SKILLS PROPOSAL FOR PROMOTING EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE IN THE WORKPLACE

 The programme is done on a phased basis as follows:
- Secure Organizational support- An introduction to Emotional Intelligence
- Assess Organizational needs
- Administer BaRon EQi – a self reporting tool which gives an assessment of the individual’s emotional intelligence competencies (see Appendix 1)
- Identification of training requirements on one-to-one or in teams.
- Coaching for personal development based on EI competencies 
- Training and self directed learning on the 15 competencies which are required for success in the workplace. These competencies must be developed particularly in leaders who will then be in a position to mentor and coach their subordinates for their own personal development and performance.

The approach above represents the ideal Model for promoting EI in organizations. However this can be tailored to meet the needs of each organization.
The programme targets executives, senior and middle managers as well as supervisors. It is also recommended for those persons who show a high potential for the succession planning strategies of the organization.
Delivery Method:

1. Where gaps are identified, coaching is done on the individual basis, this facilitates self directed learning.
2. Workshops are designed for training work groups and teams. The length of the workshops will depend on the needs of the organization. They range from 1-3 days.

Facilitation and Coaching will be done by Jacqueline Peat-Smith, a certified user of BaRon EQi and a certified trainer and coach. She will be supported by a network of trainers and experts in the field of Assessments and training and development.
Goals
1. To increase in the leaders’ self awareness and emotional intelligence
2. to position leaders to develop leaders at every level
3. To develop the capabilities of leaders to achieve breakthrough performance
4. To broaden the participant understands of issues that are crucial for long term performance and relationships
5. To help in creating an exciting culture

APPENDIX 1