How can creative professionals develop emotional intelligence to become more resilient?

INSIDE OUT (Why EQ beats IQ): None of my bosses ever called me a genius, but a few did recognize my ability to connect with everyone in a genuine/human way that went beyond basic office etiquette. To me, the best self-assessment of your Emotional Intelligence isn’t in a special book or binder, it’s a gut-check. We shouldn’t need an employee handbook to tell us that when someone pulled an all-nighter, maybe they should get the next day off. Or if someone was struggling, that maybe it was worth talking TO them instead of ABOUT them. Realtalk: it’s hard to get a quality employee, but it’s harder to keep them. Be kind! When you lead with empathy, it almost always pays off. And when it doesn’t… karma is a boomerang ?? ????♂?

Self-assessment is a deeply personal, ongoing journey towards understanding oneself. It involves regular introspection and mindfulness to recognize personal strengths and areas for growth. Embracing feedback is crucial; it offers external perspectives that enhance self-awareness. Self-compassion is key, as recognizing flaws can be challenging, but it’s essential for constructive growth. This process isn’t just about identifying weaknesses but also about celebrating strengths and setting realistic goals for improvement. Ultimately, self-assessment is a continuous, reflective practice, vital for personal development and living a fulfilled life. It’s about evolving one reflective step at a time.

Start with curiosity — about yourself, your emotions, your reactions, and also those of others. Instead of judging them or reacting immediately, take the time to slow down and reflect on what is happening, and why. Why are you feeling what you feel? When does it come up? What patterns do you recognise? As you develop understanding of your emotions and those of others, instead of just giving in to them blindly, you’ll begin to develop your own emotional intelligence. Over time you’ll be able to make decisions, creative work and strategy that takes the power of emotions into account, making your work extremely powerful.

Creative professionals can enhance their emotional intelligence for resilience by practicing self-awareness, acknowledging and managing their emotions effectively. Continuous learning, seeking feedback, and maintaining a positive mindset contribute to emotional intelligence and resilience in the dynamic creative field.

Entendo todos os perfis de profissionais e como cada um responde a estímulos de comunica??o. é treinável, n?o é um caminho fácil, mas é possível. Se um profissional criativo quer ter sua ideia valorizada é preciso sim dentro de uma corpora??o interagir com outras áreas e perfis. Só cresce quem pensa como cabe?a de negócios, e um negócio é formado por muitas disciplinas. Indico a ferramenta Gallup para entender o perfil próprio e do time.

Radiate positive energy from the get-go. Model calm, cool and collected. Talk when you have something to say. Don't be a dick.

Sometimes the best thing you can do is take a pause. If you receive creative feedback that you disagree with, or triggers a strong emotional reaction, go "take a lap." Walk around your apartment or office. Take a deep breath outside. Whatever allows you to re-center and come back with a clear head. By putting space (whether it be physical space or time) between yourself and that feedback, you give yourself the opportunity to properly form your thoughts and manage your emotions - rather than having a knee-jerk reaction that is often unproductive.

I think in the work environment it’s important to have emotional professionalism. Yes be yourself. But it is a workplace environment so give yourself permission to take breaks when you need to. Communicate and with EI know that everyone is dealing with something. Be kind to yourself and others.

Identify stressors in your professional life and develop healthy coping mechanisms. Incorporate stress-relief activities into your routine, such as exercise, hobbies, or spending time in nature.

An example of managing my emotions has definitely been used with humor. Personally, using humor has proven to be a great coping strategy. In addition, having an optimistic attitude has helped in various situations.

Empathising with others is a core aspect of emotional intelligence, but: it's not just about putting yourself in other people's shoes, it's also about understanding and managing your own emotions. In the creative industries, the constant confrontation with feedback & criticism can be emotionally draining. It is therefore crucial to develop empathy for others & resilience to external influences. Active listening & open questioning are important, so is reflecting on your own emotional reactions to what you hear & see. How do your experiences & biases affect your perceptions of others? Finally, emotionally intelligent creatives recognise that conflict & disagreement should not be taken personally. They are opportunities to learn and grow.

Empathy is a skill that can only be taught through experience. It comes from being extremely non-judgmental and truly open-minded. There are the common themes around active listening and deep curiosity but really it is about ASKING questions open-ended that progress the existing conversation towards some positive or even negative conclusion that provides some sort of realization.

It's not just about how you communicate, it's also about how you respond to others' communication. In the creative industries, the way you receive & respond to feedback can be just as important as the message you convey. Stories, metaphors & images are powerful tools, but they should be authentic. Avoid using them to distract from the real issues or to avoid difficult conversations. Assertiveness and conflict resolution are important, but it's also about recognising and allowing your own vulnerability. Sometimes emotional intelligence means being open to your own weaknesses & insecurities. Also, effective communication also means learning when to keep quiet and when to listen. It is often more important to create space for other voices.

Communicating effectively is more than just the words you use or the tone you carry. As the world stays digital and video communication stays a common theme, having the ability to manage your facial expressions and attention to the speaker speaking or audience listening drives collective engagement. A few easy ways to win that I’ve found have been: 1: be very clear on the agenda and build space for questions after each major point made. 2: Provoke early and adjust quickly. There will be times when an audience is going to not react. Provoking with facial engagement or hand raising or emoji use will be the most you’ll receive. 3: operate on a 4:1 ratio. 4 minutes of maximum talking with 1 minute of questioning or feedback.

I have often discovered that the best ideas can herald from the quietest voices in the room. Introverts, new team members or those who do not have the confidence to speak up may require help or a safe space to communicate freely. Being aware of the differing and unique communication styles of those around you is essential if you are to hear everyone. It also works both ways, as contemporaries and colleagues may all respond differently to how we talk to them. When to be soft or direct, when to talk in a group vs one on one, who says a lot and who says a little all differ, and when we understand that not one size fits all is when we can get the best out of everyone.

Prepare to invest the same amount of time to selling as you do to creating. The advertising industry is like any sport where you have to prepare, chisel your skills and over time you sell more and more ideas. This builds your resilience because you begin to understand what drives your work forward and you gain more perspective on how you will have impact.

Request feedback from colleagues and mentors to gain insights into how others perceive your emotional intelligence. Use feedback as a tool for personal and professional development.

Feedback is everything. You need an honest environment to assess yourself and be better at your internal communication. Ask feedback and open a space where people actually burn you, especially your colleagues. To be a good creative and good communicator is only possible with changing and evolving constantly.

If you chose the advertising industry as a career, you chose to be a student of culture. To embrace continuously learning and experiencing new things. The more you inhale the deeper and richer your ideas become. And the more of them you have!

Embrace curiosity, attend development opportunities, learn from successes and failures, and foster a growth mindset. Experimentation, seeking diverse perspectives, and collaborative learning enhance adaptability. This commitment equips professionals to navigate uncertainties, illustrating the link between ongoing learning, emotional intelligence, and resilience.

Get involved and talk to groups outside of your own. I attended a roundtable event at GDC about Muslims in the games industry. I learned a lot about what I can do as a better leader just by sitting and listening. Be humble and open to learn and you will be rewarded with those eager to share.

Having a mentor is key. Demonstrating and receiving expert feedback realtime is invaluable. While it would be ideal for a leader to fill this role, it’s often not the case. It’s up to the individual to cultivate these relationships and demonstrate a commitment to improving EI capabilities through consistent practice.

Having a developed network of mentors and peers will also insulate you and keep you grounded with different perspective. It’s one of the most important things you can do in your career. A strong network lasts a lifetime.

As a creative individual I believe in collaboration as the number one skills we need as a creative person. Moreover to improve ones creative process having a support system of people who believe in your values and mission is extremely important. In addition such a support system helps you to become a better person and grow as creative individual. When having a large network the word of mouth is important to improve our credibility within our network.

Networking now has a new meaning. When the world stopped leaving the house and people stopped connecting in person. There was a new value set on IN-Person connection. The lowest level of commitment I’ve found hosting 8 years of in person events straight through the pandemic is what I call the “coffee shuffle.” Here’s what it means. Set a meet up of pairs of 2. It can be as many as 10 people but everyone needs a pair. Meet at a central place that has coffee or tea and walk. You can either time it or not but the act of coffee (low commitment) and the walking (no awkward eye contact) the connection can stay on the topic.

To be honest, I think this is a terrible question - or at least terribly phrased. To suggest someone who is struggling to show resilience is lacking emotional intelligence is presumptuous and unhelpful. As a manager, my approach would be: if someone is struggling, speak to them, find out what might be causing the problem and see how you might be able to help.

Na era da criatividade, profissionais inovadores buscam fortalecer sua "for?a interior" emocional. Isso significa n?o apenas conhecer suas emo??es, mas também surfar na onda delas! é como uma "academia emocional" onde se tonifica a consciência pessoal, se equilibra a montanha-russa emocional e se constrói conex?es autênticas. Flexibilidade é a chave: ser um camale?o emocional, adaptando-se ao ambiente turbulento sem perder a criatividade. Imagine um "treino mental" diário para lidar com a press?o, tudo enquanto mantém um olhar curioso sobre o mundo. Resiliência para os criativos? é a dan?a equilibrada entre a mente, o cora??o e a inova??o constante.

Consider how you are living physically. Can ice baths help you Can breathing exercises help you Can your sleep be improved? There’s a very deep understanding of your physical sense that contributes to all of this.

To be a successful creative, you have to have a growth mindset. I see a lot of designers who focus on talent instead of using feedback to help them grow. The best designers are the ones who use criticism to make their work continually better. I think that’s the real secret to success.

I think the best way for a creative to gain emotional intelligence is to travel and see other cultures than your home culture. The ability to see outside your limited point of view for the benefit of all, (which is your job as a designer) makes you extremely valuable…