Grow Your Team's Emotional Intelligence Skills

In a recent LinkedIn poll, we asked local government leaders if their teams’ emotional intelligence was above average, average or below average. The results were not surprising in that most people rated their team below average or average. 

So, what does it take to increase and develop emotional awareness on a team? Developing emotional intelligence in an organization can have numerous benefits, including improved communication, increased teamwork, and better conflict resolution. 

Here are some ways to grow emotional intelligence in your local government:

• Invest in training and coaching: Employees can benefit from workshops, seminars, and coaching sessions on emotional intelligence. These programs can help them develop self-awareness, empathy, and effective communication skills. 
• Lead by example: Leaders play a crucial role in fostering emotional intelligence in their organizations. By modeling behaviors such as active listening, compassion, and empathy, they can inspire their employees to follow suit.  Start by modeling this to your department heads.
• Encourage feedback: Feedback is essential for improving emotional intelligence. Encourage employees to provide feedback to one another in a constructive and supportive manner. You will need to demonstrate how to do this in a positive way. If the level of trust on your team is low, this may take some time. (See next point)
• Create a positive work environment: Emotional intelligence flourishes in a positive work environment where employees feel respected, valued, and supported. Promote a culture of collaboration, inclusivity, and trust.
• Foster teamwork: Teamwork is a great way to develop emotional intelligence. Encourage employees to work together on projects, participate in team-building activities, and collaborate on problem-solving. In doing so, they will tend to grow together and build trust that opens the door for higher levels of emotional intelligence.
• Use emotional intelligence in hiring: When hiring new employees, consider their emotional intelligence in addition to their technical skills. Look for candidates who exhibit self-awareness, empathy, and good communication skills.

Overall, developing emotional intelligence in an organization requires a commitment to ongoing learning and growth, as well as a willingness to model and encourage emotionally intelligent behavior at all levels of the organization. 

LeaderGov offers emotional intelligence training, and we would be happy to speak to you if you have interest.  You can contact us at [email protected].