How do you create emotional sensitivity in your team?

1 Assess your own emotional sensitivity

The first step to creating emotional sensitivity in your team is to model it yourself. How aware are you of your own emotions and how they affect your behavior and communication? How do you cope with negative or intense emotions, such as anger, frustration, or anxiety? How do you express your emotions in a constructive and respectful way? How do you react to the emotions of others, especially when they differ from yours or challenge your views? To assess your own emotional sensitivity, you can use self-reflection, feedback, or tools such as the Emotional Intelligence Test or the Emotional Style Questionnaire.

3 Teach emotional skills and strategies

The third step to creating emotional sensitivity in your team is to provide training and coaching on emotional skills and strategies. These include skills such as self-awareness, self-regulation, social awareness, and relationship management, as well as strategies such as labeling emotions, reframing situations, using positive affirmations, or applying relaxation techniques. Teaching emotional skills and strategies can help team members improve their emotional literacy, resilience, and adaptability, as well as their ability to communicate and collaborate effectively. To teach emotional skills and strategies, you can use resources such as the Emotional Intelligence Toolkit, the Emotion Regulation Skills System, or the Six Seconds Model.

4 Encourage emotional diversity and inclusion

The fourth step to creating emotional sensitivity in your team is to embrace and celebrate emotional diversity and inclusion. This means recognizing and respecting that team members may have different emotional styles, preferences, and needs, depending on their personality, background, culture, or situation. It also means avoiding stereotypes, assumptions, or biases that may undermine or invalidate someone's emotions or experiences. To encourage emotional diversity and inclusion, you can use activities such as the Emotional Diversity Wheel, the Emotions Map, or the Cultural Values Survey.

5 Provide feedback and recognition

The fifth step to creating emotional sensitivity in your team is to offer feedback and recognition on their emotional skills and behaviors. This means giving constructive and specific feedback on how team members can improve their emotional sensitivity, as well as acknowledging and praising their efforts and achievements. It also means soliciting and accepting feedback on your own emotional sensitivity, and showing gratitude and appreciation for your team's contributions and support. To provide feedback and recognition, you can use methods such as the SBI Model, the STAR Method, or the Appreciative Inquiry Approach.

6 Review and improve

The final step to creating emotional sensitivity in your team is to monitor and evaluate their progress and outcomes. This means setting clear and measurable goals and indicators for emotional sensitivity, and collecting and analyzing data and evidence on how they are achieved. It also means identifying and addressing any gaps, challenges, or areas for improvement, and celebrating and sharing any successes or best practices. To review and improve, you can use tools such as the Team Emotional Intelligence Survey, the Team Performance Assessment, or the Team Learning Review.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?