In a recent LeaderGov workshop on Emotional Intelligence, leaders shared their perspective and best practices on effectively addressing their own emotions as well as emotional situations on their teams. 

Underlying the leaders’ answers was a desire to improve their skill and the skills of their teams to address tension and emotion.   LeaderGov recommended several tools to learn and grow EI for their teams including:

• Emotional Intelligence 2.0 Book Club
• Ted Talks
• LeaderGov’s EI Team Workshop
• LeaderGov’s Team EI Survey
• Team Discussion about EI
• Have individuals complete the free IHHP Assessment & MindTools EI Assessment

The workshop started by asking the local government leaders why they or their leadership teams sometimes do not lean into emotional situations at work.  Leaders responded with the following ideas.

1. Fear of conflict or confrontation.
2. Lack of confidence in handling emotional situations effectively.
3. Concern about making a...

At LeaderGov's June 2024 Summit Leadership Workshop, the spotlight was on innovation. Dozens of local government leaders from across the country came together to share their insights, challenges, and strategies for fostering innovation within their teams. Here's a summary of the workshop discussions and feedback from these dedicated leaders.

Barriers to Innovation

Leaders identified several factors that hinder their teams from being more innovative:

• Fear of mistakes and lack of courage.
• Complacency and comfort with the status quo.
• Time constraints and heavy workloads.
• Resistance to change and lack of capacity.
• Poor communication and lack of initiative.
• Rules, regulations, and red tape.
• Budget constraints and lack of consensus.
• Cultural barriers between what's innovative and what's allowable.

Defining a Growth Mindset

When discussing a growth mindset, leaders highlighted the importance of:

• Openness to new ideas and willingness to share and...