Team building - How Emotional Intelligence can help

Previously, I’ve looked at why Emotional Intelligence is a vital skill in the workplace. It allows individuals to work better as a team, grow personal relationships, listen and empathise.

These are all important traits when it comes to collaborating and interacting with others. But how can it be gained?

First, team leaders need to set the example. They should ensure that they are self-aware, know their strengths and weaknesses, and can fully empathise with team members.

They can do this through training and practice, so they’ll know what to pass on to their team.

It’s not be possible to simply tell a team to be emotionally intelligent – it takes practice and time - but it is possible to create an environment where the traits of high emotional intelligence become the norm.

It pays to get to know the rest of the team. Understand, respect, and value the different perspectives and character traits of each team member.

If a member of the team is acting in an confrontational way or just being plain rude, then they should be reminded that the team is trying to cultivate a supportive culture.

The team as a whole should only accept courteous behaviour, compassion, and caring treatment. The golden rule is to treat each person as they would like to be treated.

Managers should regularly analyse the strengths and weaknesses of their team in terms of successes, delays, good processes, successful interactions, and dealing with emotions. What makes the team tick?

The team should be allowed to express their feelings in a safe, constructive way. This can include meetings in which employees can share their opinions in a non-confrontational environment.

Team members should buy into the habit of ‘reasoned positivity’. An example is always first assuming the good faith and good intentions of co-workers. This builds trust.

The team as a whole should feel responsible for any outstanding problems and pending work. They should take collective responsibility alongside their co-workers about the success and failure of projects.

Before bringing in these changes, the manager should hold a meeting outlining these rules. This way, the team can contribute, which will help them buy into the initiative.

Discussing each aspect of the initiative will help them become the norm, with one practiced per week until they become second nature. Once it has been mastered, the team should move on to the next.

A background knowledge of Emotional Intelligence will help all members of the team recognise where they can empathise with their colleagues and respond intelligently to what others are saying.

It will help them regulate their feelings and become more self-aware. This is especially important for managers, who need to oversee whether the project is a success.

To learn more about Emotional Intelligence, we recommend BounceBack's specialist eLearning course: www.bounce-back.com/emotional-intelligence-elearning.