Emotional Intelligence is the ability to understand why we think and act the way we do so we can be in better choices. With this knowledge, we can then better understand other people: what motivates them, how they work, how to work cooperatively with them and how to inspire them to reach their potential.

The latest research on leadership indicates that emotional intelligence is a greater factor for ensuring successful results when working with people than technical knowledge and skills. And when the factors are missing, the results can damage both career growth and a person's well-being.

The higher a person climbs that ladder in an organization, the more critical is their ability to work with others. The skills of accessing your emotional intelligence should be considered a foundation for all leadership programs. As human beings, there is little in business, and in life, that is not affected by or a result of our emotions.

When leaders use their emotional intelligence, they can better resolve conflicts and lead others. Dr. Reynolds programs on emotional intelligence give participants 1) a better understanding of your own behavior, 2) new skills in relating to and influencing others, and 3) a greater understanding of what is involved when humans engage in conflict resolution, change management, and team leadership.

“Anyone can become angry—that is easy. But to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose in the right way—that is not easy.”-- Aristotle, the Nicomachean Ethics

• All thoughts and actions are affected by the emotional center of your brain.
• If you are not emotionally self-aware, the chemicals secreted as a result of emotional triggers will control your thoughts and behaviors.
• With emotional awareness, you can shift your emotions and choose your reactions, redirecting the signals in your brain.
• The thickness of the neural pathways in the brain affect your ability to understand and communicate with others.
• The pathways that affect your social competencies can be widened, increasing your intuition, empathy, and powers to inspire and influence others.

Whether you're an executive, manger, team leader or parent, emotions must be considered when resolving difficulties and developing strong relationships. When emotions are triggered, the quest for logic is lost. Whether it's your own brain that is deceiving you or it's the reactive brain in the person you are talking to that is hindering progress, you have to know how to make shifts at the emotional level before solutions can be found.

It’s customary for people to think that their success depends on how “smart they are.” In other words, the individuals with the higher IQ are likely to be most successful. However, our emotions can work for us or against us. When the latter prevails, otherwise seemingly bright people are stalled or derailed on their journey to success.

In fact, too many people think of leadership as a set of skills they do. It is also important for leaders to recognize that "who they are being" and "how they are thinking" are just as important.

Leaders set the emotional tone of their organization. These days, employees develop less loyalty for a company than they do for a manager. However, if they feel emotionally supported by their leaders, they not only stay on the job, they are more likely to give more of their attention and energy to the job. Emotional intelligence makes the difference on whether a leader is “inspiring” or “expiring” the discretionary effort of their employees.

“Business is more about emotions than most businesspeople care to admit. It’s time to put the passion for work and the joy of creation back into business.” -- Daniel Kahneman,

2002 Nobel Prize for Economics

However, contrary to IQ which doesn’t change much over a lifetime, Emotional Intelligence, or EQ, can be learned and developed. You can learn how to shift your emotional state and influence the state of those around you to create the results you desire.

Accessing Emotional Intelligence is valuable to anyone interested in improving leadership and communication skills in order to more effectively manage themselves as well as their interactions.

Emotional intelligence strengthens:

• Self-awareness and satisfaction
• Relationships
  
• Powers of leadership
  

Emotional intelligence decreases:

• Conflict
  
• Misunderstandings
• Stress, disappointment and frustration

Additional benefits of Accessing Emotional Intelligence at Work

• Strengthen the foundation of team/organizational/community structures.
• Retain employees through increased satisfaction.
  
• Motivate improved performance and creativity.
  
• Reduce resistance to change.

Whether you're an entrepreneur, executive, team leader or parent, emotions must be considered when resolving difficulties and developing strong relationships. When emotions are triggered, the quest for logic is lost. Whether it's your own brain that is deceiving you or it's the reactive brain in the person you are talking to that is hindering progress, you have to know how to make shifts at the emotional level before solutions can be found.

You can learn how to shift your emotional state and influence the state of those around you to create the results you desire. You can learn how your brain works, then outsmart it.

You can focus your coaching on emotional intelligence or hire Dr. Reynolds to teach your team how to be more emotionally astute. The workshop is highly interactive, giving participants a chance to practice the new skills and to discuss how to integrate the skills when class is over. Techniques used include self-awareness exercises and assessments, exercises in time- and energy-management, and case-studies and games to increase awareness, intuition, influence and successful interpersonal interactions.

Learning about and practicing the five cornerstones of emotional intelligence:

• Becoming emotionally "self-alert'
• Activating choice based on awareness
• Building confidence and capacity
• Understanding and working well with others
• Increasing skills of negotiation, collaboration and influence

Dr. Reynolds has been successfully teaching people internationally in corporations and government agencies how to powerfully use Emotional Intelligence (EI) for over eleven years. She would be happy to provide you with a list of clients you can talk to about their experiences with coaching with or taking classes facilitated by Dr. Reynolds. Contact us for more information.