How can you develop emotional intelligence skills through coaching and mentoring programs?

It involves a multi-faceted approach. Firstly, self-awareness is cultivated by encouraging individuals to reflect on their emotions and reactions. Secondly, self-management skills are enhanced by teaching techniques to regulate emotions and manage stress. Empathy is fostered by promoting active listening and understanding others' perspectives. Lastly, relationship management is improved by coaching on conflict resolution, communication, and teamwork. These programs provide a safe space for individuals to learn, practice, and receive feedback on these skills, leading to personal growth and improved interpersonal relationships.

In simple terms, EQ is the ability to perceive, use, understand, manage, and handle emotions. Many use coaching or mentoring programs to develop this skillset as it raises the self awareness of the person and partner with the client to explores their inner thoughts, feelings which they are not used to doing because we are brought up to learn cognitive intelligence not emotional intelligence because it is not as measurable as a degree or career where cognitive generally provides.

While developing emotional intelligence is largely a self-journey. However as a coach / mentor you could really value add in facilitating the self awareness for someone and help them accept and reflect over themselves. Be patient in listening to be able to help them through this. The key is that you really have to talk the language that they would understand for them to adapt this skill.

Knowing what you want is powerful, yet it can be challenging to figure out. Identifying clear goals for a coaching program goes beyond skill enhancement. It's about ensuring these goals align with what truly matters to you - your values, passions, and purpose. As a manager, the impact you wish to create should be at the heart of this alignment. Whether it's improving empathy or self-awareness, these should be steps toward fulfilling your role in an impactful way and true to your inner drive.

Establish clear, achievable goals at the start of the coaching or mentoring relationship. These goals should be SMART. Start with self-awareness. Coaching and mentoring can help individuals recognise and understand their own emotions, triggers, and responses. Tools like reflective exercises, journaling, and feedback sessions are often used to enhance self-awareness. Coaches and mentors can teach techniques for managing emotions effectively. This includes strategies for staying calm under pressure, dealing with stress, and responding rather than reacting impulsively to challenging situations.

The cultivation of emotional intelligence skills through coaching and mentoring programs is best achieved by challenging, not just supporting, individuals. Seek a coach or mentor who challenges your emotional responses and nurtures resilience rather than solely providing comfort. Embrace discomfort as a catalyst for growth, and prioritize mentors who push you beyond your emotional comfort zone.

Ask colleagues, friends, or family if they know any coaches or mentors who specialise in your area of interest. Many industries have professional associations that offer mentoring programs or can connect you with experienced professionals willing to serve as mentors. Look for individuals who actively share their expertise and seem open to engaging with others. Google certified coaches. Websites such as the International Coaching Federation (ICF) provide directories of coaches who have met specific professional standards and received certification.

In leadership and at a busy workplace individuals can put their head down and keep plowing forward. When you go up for air you may find you missed a whole bunch of learning. No critical thoughts here because sometimes you’re just treading water because resources are limited. But make time for reflection and evaluate personal set backs. What did I miss, why did it happen, what can I learn, and where is there an opportunity to make an adjustment. Nothing in life only impacts just you so ask for feedback and discover the question behind the question for deeper learning. Circle back again to see if you have a fresh perspective in a few days.

The foundation of EI is self-awareness. Begin with understanding how to identify your emotions, such as fear, anger, sadness, joy, or creativity, and what you're feeling and experiencing. Practice feeling and understanding how these show up physically in your body, such as a tightening of your shoulders, tension in your gut, a heaviness in your heart, or expansiveness and light feeling in your chest. Situations in life create emotional responses in us. Knowing how to manage your emotions will give you control over how you respond versus the emotions controlling how you respond. Ultimately, it will help you achieve your PM goals and desired outcomes better.

It's important to get your assessment mechanism established beforehand. Establish a baseline with a means you trust, whether that's some sort of standardized mechanism or a weekly up/down poll or anything in between, and establish it early. Then, after your interventions, you'll have something explicit and less susceptible to fluctuation to see whether you're having an effect.

The development of emotional intelligence skills through coaching and mentoring programs occurs by challenging individuals with diverse perspectives, promoting self-awareness in real-world scenarios, and encouraging continuous feedback for immediate improvement.

Examples of EI skill developed through coaching - 1. A high-potential leader undergoes coaching to enhance their leadership presence. The coach works on refining the leader's emotional expression, body language, and tone to convey confidence and empathy. 2. An employee struggling with stress participates in coaching sessions focused on stress management. The coach helps the individual identify stress triggers, develop coping mechanisms, and integrate mindfulness techniques into their daily routine.

The most important thing I can share about this is that it's self-conscious-making to explicitly tackle emotional investment. The trainings and exercises are, a lot of the time, uncomfortable. You'll have to be the one responsible, and you'll need to be comfortable putting yourself out there. If you're not, your team won't follow.