There's Always an Option... Always! Do you want flowers or weeds?

"Emotional Intelligence (EI) or Emotional Quotient (EQ) is a set of skills that help us better perceive, understand and manage emotions in ourselves and in others. Collectively they help us make intelligent responses to, and use of, emotions.?These skills are as important as intellect (IQ) in determining success in work and in life."

Dr. Ben Palmer, Genos International

Emotions are always in attendance. For every single one of us. They are there in everything we do, everything we think, everything we say. Every day, every second, minute, hour. On the job, at home, at the gym, while having dinner at our favorite restaurant... What we may not realize, especially in this age of , "I'm just going to be myself, say what I want, like me or not..." is that the way we handle our own emotions, the way we "show up", impacts not only us, but everyone we come in contact with. On the phone, in video conferencing, and in person. And not only in the workplace, but in our personal relationships, i.e., with our partners, our children, our parents, our friends, and even our acquaintances.

EI is the foundation of Self-awareness, Empathy, Leadership, AND Resilience. EI is separate from our intellect (IQ) and our personality. EI is how we manage our behavior....or not. EI affects how we make decisions and can be the most important factor to consider when we make decisions, so that we may achieve the best possible results.

The following is a perfect example, so I want to share it with you.

"Think about it for a moment. Think of a time when you experienced an emotion; for example, JOY. Perhaps you had a great weekend or accomplished a difficult task at work. How did this emotion impact your mood, your energy levels and the conversations you had with friends or co-workers? Now think of a different emotion; for example, ANGER. Perhaps a co-worker said something that ‘rubbed you the wrong way‘ or you thought that a friend betrayed a confidence. How did this emotion impact your mood and your behaviors? Perhaps you sent an angry email or said something in the heat of the moment that you later regretted." - Genos International

The first instance of JOY is an easy one. As humans we are wired to experience what we deem as "good feelings" fairly efficiently.

HOWEVER, in the second example of ANGER, we are not so naturally proficient at managing. ( and is an entirely 'other' discussion.)

It's just as important to "show up" productively when we are ANGER triggered, as it is to "show up" productively when we are JOY triggered. This is the why the need for EI training and development is so important. When referring to our workforce, it's not an option, especially for leaders. It's a "must have", never a "nice to have."

The ROI organizations receive from investing in their people through Emotional Intelligence/Awareness training contributes directly to the organizations bottom line, and with measurable results. Business relationships and decision making are both improved, which is a win for any organization.

EI/Awareness training and development does not need to be exorbitantly expensive. There are very inexpensive things you can do to improve the EI/Awareness of your workforce. So as not to rouse the ire of the expensive training troops, let me know how I can help. I do have some effective suggestions that won't burn a hole in the corporate budget. ??

Hey! There's Always An Option!