Inclusive culture - How we define and develop Emotional Intelligence

Task forces

Establishing Diversity and Inclusion Task Forces has allowed individual thoughtbotters to divide the work into smaller, more actionable areas of focus. Diversity in collaboration yields new and synthesized strategies. Many people find this process very rewarding, and that it provides deeper meaning to the work we do.

Nonviolent Communication (NVC)

Our survival as a species depends on our ability to recognize that our well-being and the well-being of others are in fact one in the same.

-- Marshall B. Rosenberg, PhD, author of Nonviolent Communication

Nonviolent Communication, or NVC, provides strategy and tactics for maintaining productive communication and connection under stress. It gifts us with a judgment free solution for reharmonizing with our values, and increases the quality of life in the workplace. Engaging with NVC helps develop Emotional Intelligence.

For more information, check out the book, or visit the Center for Non Violent Communication.

Meditation

This act of self care can clear up internal resources that we need to handle difficult conversations. Meditation can bring us closer to our truest selves, give a deeper insight into our emotions, and allow us to be more present when our emotions may affect our behaviors. Meditation can also help us recover from emotionally challenging situations, and more reliably redirect our behavior towards a successful outcome.

Science

EQ consists of a set of skills that can be continuously improved. There are physical / neurological changes that take place within the human brain as one develops the underlying personal and social competencies.

Emotional Intelligence is part of what makes us human, as it requires rational thinking and future planning, and anticipation of future outcomes. Information passes through our limbic system, where emotions are processed, before it reaches the front of the brain, where our rational thoughts generate a lot of activity. Developing Emotional Intelligence increases communication between the rational and emotional centers of the brain.

Applying strategies to increase one's Emotional Intelligence allows the neuroplastic properties of the brain to speed up the efficiency of improving the skills in the future. Once the brain has been trained repeatedly to use Emotional Intelligence strategies, the behaviors become habits and reflexes.

Compassion challenges

One way a person can further develop Emotional Intelligence is by seeking out ways of helping others that are outside of one's comfort zone. By keeping an eye out for situations where one might feel hesitant to help, a person can create daily opportunities to develop the redirection of uncomfortable emotions to a positive outcome. Helping others tends to increase one's own sense of empathy, further bolstering available resources for future difficult conversations.

Practice identifying emotions

Naming and labeling one's emotional states can help build higher EQ. The practice of naming and labeling the more obvious positive emotions one feels is one place to start. From there, one can try and identify complex nuances of the emotions one is already familiar with. Identifying and naming negative emotions may feel more challenging, but it helps one become more familiar with them, and allows one to begin planning a positive redirection more quickly.

Counting and tracking the number of times one experiences each emotion is another way to exercise the EQ muscles. To enhance this activity, one can reflect on which had the strongest affects on our behaviors that day. Focusing on pure observation, without judging right or wrongness, can produce great EI skill benefits.

Hiring

We aim to integrate our values from the start of our hiring pipeline.

Interviews

Occasional interviews about individual people's thoughts and feelings on our EI/EQ efforts can provide new opportunities for improvement.

Diversity and Inclusion training

We recommend having a workplace culture where D&I training occurs at regular intervals, for all employees.

Companies can connect with Emotional Intelligence Leadership Consultants to explore programs and training options for employees. The training process can be improved over time when combined with employee interviews.

Invitation

Maintaining a posture of invitation increases the likelihood of adoption of our values. We believe that the attribution of wrongness, judgment, or fault when sharing our values decreases the likelihood that our intentions are understood.

We invite you to fork this repository, and contribute.