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EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

What is Emotional Intelligence?

Emotional intelligence is the ability to manage your own emotions and understand and manage those around you. There are four components to emotional Intelligence according to Goleman;

Four components of Emotional Intelligence

1 . Self Awareness: Recognizing your own emotions.

2. Social Awareness: Recognizing the emotions of others.

3. Self Management: Regulation of impulses.

4. Social Skills: managing how you interact with others.

By understanding where you stand in the four components, one can increase these skills and become a better performer on the job and in life. The benefits of Emotional Intelligence goes far beyond the individual, the skills are beneficial in organizations for production and management., and in life for interaction and relationship building.

What are the benefits of having Emotional Intelligence?

  • Higher levels of productivity and management.
  • Facilitate an environment of change.
  • Cultivate a teamwork environment.
  • Build better trusting relationships.
  • Cultivate stronger leaders.
  • Decreased occupational stress.
  • Increased team performance.
  • Reduced staff turnover.

How is Emotional Intelligence related to leadership?

Effective leaders have an understanding of how their emotions work and how they impact those around them . While education and professional skills are important, understanding of emotions impacts the day to day interactions at work and in life. According to Bradberry and Graves (2009)Emotional Intelligence accounts for 58% of performance in jobs and those have been found to have higher emotional Intelligence earn higher salaries.

Training and Education

Are you looking for ways to develop your Emotional Intelligence or that of your work group? Download our leadership Coaching Development Portfolio to have a consultation to best fit your needs. Already know what you want? Select one of our plans below to get started on your journey to developing your Emotional Intelligence and Leadership skills.

Leadership Development CoachingDownload
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On the Job Stress: 5 Steps to help you reclaim your time and get your zen back.

OJT

When I first entered the job market as an eager college graduate, with my cape on ready to save the world as a bright-eyed helping professional, no one told me about job stress or burnout. I quickly learned after coming across many of my peers, who on the first appearance seemed jaded and lacking self-motivation, that stress is real. It would not be to years later that I fully understood that they were stressed out, which lead to burnout, and in some instances depression and anxiety, and not to mention health problems. Not only did I fully understand, but it hit me like a ton of bricks. And yes, you may think there was plenty of warning signs, but because I thought that people just were not “happy” with there jobs, and most often they would leave the organization. For me, it was the frustration of working long days, feeling of lack of support, and overwhelming paperwork. Not to mention the fact that I had not had a vacation, unless you count the week out of work with an upper respiratory infection, in over a year.

The day that I broke down crying from having to go to work, I knew something needed to change. Working in the mental health field, I knew the signs and symptoms of depression, and I knew I needed to see someone. I started seeing a therapist through my Employee Assistance Program, and shocker I was diagnosed with situational depression. I was told that the depression would go away, but I would need to change my “situation.” At the time my “situation” was my sole income, and I had just bought a house, so quitting was not an option. So I came up with my coping mechanisms, which I still use today, which has helped me stay in the helping profession for over ten years.

DATA

According to the CDC.gov

” One-fourth to one-third of U.S. workers report high levels of stress at work. Americans spend 8% more time on the job than they did 20 years ago (47 hours per week on average), and 13% also work a second job. Two-fifths (40%) of workers say that their jobs are very stressful, and more than one-fourth (26%) say they are “often burned out or stressed” by their work. “

These number are not only alarming, but enlightening. They help you get an understanding of what is going on in organizations.

Stress relief

5 Strategies

Therapy
  • Seek Professional: Having a sounding board was one of the best things that I could do. Yes, you can talk to friends and family. But, it is also good to talk to a trained professional, who can recognize the signs and symptoms of depression.
Get a hobby
  • Get a hobby: Finding time to do things you enjoy is imperative. Whether it is Karaoke with friends, knitting, or even blogging, it is important that you have something that does not involve work. Exercising is a great hobby which reduces stress and anxiety.
meditate
  • Meditate: Meditation has become an intricate part of my life for the last few years. I have a dedicated space, which I call my “safe space” whenever I feel the need I can go sit in my room and process.
Travel
  • Take a vacation: As I previously stated, when I first started experiencing stress, I had not taken a vacation in over a year. At this point in my life, just the idea of not taking a vacation stresses me out. I made a goal for my self to take a vacation from work every 90 days. Vacations can be expensive, but you do not necessarily have to leave the country. Take a mental health day and stay home in your pajamas, take a long weekend and catch up with friends and family. But, whatever you do TAKE A BREAK. As an educator and manager, I tell my students and staff that breaks are your best friend especially if you plan on working as a helping professional.
No
  • Learn to say NO: The good old word “no,” we take it for granted. When you hear a two-year-old say it, we laugh and say how cute. But, as adults, we have come accustomed to think the word “no” is evil. It is not a bad word, but rather one of self-preservation. It is empowering and motivating, all while allowing you to set clear boundaries. At the beginning of my professional career I had a problem saying “no,” but I realized quickly that sitting on multiple boards, facilitating multiple trainings, all while working a full-time job and teaching part-time was wearing me thin. I learned that saying “no” did not mean I was incapable, what it meant is that I understand the value of my “yes” and the work that I will be producing.

Have you ever experienced burnout, what did you do to address the symptoms? Let us know in the comments below!

If you want more information on burnout or steps to manage job stress join our email list, where you will find information about our training and educational services.

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10 Office Must Haves to be Productive

blog post Office Must haves

Working from home has many temptations, such as wanting to sleep, or watch T.V. when you really should be working. I was so excited to have a designated office space when we bought our home. I was so tired of working on the couch in front of the T.V. or in the bed. Not only is it distracting, but it is just bad all around ergonomically. I cam up with this list of must haves to be productive, as these were the 10 essentials I wanted for my home office.

*Warning Affiliate Links*

  1. Desk

Having a great desk is a must. As an entrepreneur I spend a lot of time in my home office. Making sure I had a great desk was a Must. I actually built my desk and shelves for my office, because my husband and I wanted a space that we could both share comfortably. But you find a similar one here.

Picture of my desk and shelf system I built for my home office.

2. A comfortable Chair

It was such a joy to be able to work in my office in a comfortable chair. No more slouching on the couch or laying in the bed, trying not to fall asleep when working. I Found two really comfortable chairs for my husband and myself. I looked for chairs that had support for your back and were adjustable. Check out the one above, which is similar to what we bought.

3. Great Computer

Having a good computer is essential I needed something sleek that could fit in my carry-on, but also durable, with good speed, and memory. My husband bought me a Surface Pro 4 when I graduated with my PhD. Hands down the best laptop/tablet that I have had so far. It is so durable and has so many features. Find a good laptop that meets all of your needs and you will be very productive.

4. Lighting

I adore natural lighting when I am working in the day time. I get really inspired to do my best work when the sun is shining and the birds are chirping. In the evening I like to keep the lights bright but natural. Check the bulbs and lamps I found here and here.

5. Surge protector

One thing that I have experienced in the past was a power outage. Thank God none of my appliances had a shortage, but it could have been bad. I immediately bought a surge protector. Essential to protecting your tech items and giving you peace of mind. Find the ones I bought here.

6. Multipurpose Printer

I always find myself needing to fax something, so it was important that I had a printer that could scan and fax. No need to run to Kinko’s to get that important document off, when you can do it at home. Check out this 4 in 1 printer.

7. Paper Shredder

Shredder

First of all, I get a lot of junk mail, so being able to keep the clutter down is important. Also, I have sensitive documents that I work on, and if I do not need to keep them I need to safely dispose of them. Make sure you get a cross shredder like this one here, to make sure your documents can’t be put back together.

8. File Cabinet

As I said, keeping the clutter down is a must to a productive office. I have two file cabinets, which have locks on them that I keep important documents. I multipurpose my file cabinets for decorative pieces, so that they flow with my office space.

9. Calendar

I may be just a tad old school, but I love having a calendar I can touch. I also have a wall dry erase calendar that I keep on the wall in the office. I still use my phone calendar, but more as a back-up. You can find similar calendars here and here

10. Plants

There is nothing like having a touch of nature in your environment. Not only is it a good decoration piece, but it gets the oxygen and creative juices flowing for me. Something about the smell of my plants.

Bonus: Feng Shui

There is no sense having all these functional things in your office with no order. Find a balance of items that work with your creative process. The more comfortable you are in a space, the more likely you are to be productive. Consider candles or a Zen Garden to give your space some balance.

Did these must have help you plan your office? Let me know in the comments below!!

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Business Pie: The Recipe for Business Success

Business Success

In celebration of National Pie Day, I wanted to give you a mix of tips for business success. When you combine the best ingredients for your business you will be success bound.

Think about your favorite pie, rather homemade or store bought there are certain ingredients that are must have. My favorite is the homemade dutch apple pie, but Mrs. Smith’s will do in a crunch!! It’s all about the fresh apples, the cinnamon and who can forget the streusel!! My mouth just waters thinking about it… back to business

What does Pie have to do with business?

When talking about your recipe for business success, making sure you have the best ingredients are important. While every business is different there is always a mixture of of ingredients that are needed to make the business grow. When you put these ingredients together you can make great things happen for your business. Here are my top five for business success.

Top 5 Ingredients for Business Success

The pan: Every great pie starts out with the perfect pan, you are the pan of your business. A great business owner is the FOUNDATION of their organization. As a a result, they not only guide the business but they cultivate an environment of growth and potential. And after every great pie is gone, the pan remains. Leaders need to be durable and work well under pressure, so I am not talking your aluminum pie pan, I am talking stoneware!

Natural Ingredients: When you say your are making a homemade pie, you for sure should be making a homemade pie. A true pie connoisseur will see right through the flour on your face and and apples strategically placed on the counter. The same goes for business success HONESTY and INTEGRITY are everything! If you say you are going to do something, do it! The worst thing you want is your business to be seen as a fraud or fake. Put in the work to develop your skills. Be the real thing!!

Mix of ingredients: Every good pie maker understands that it is not just that one ingredient that sets the pie off, it is the mixture of ingredients. As with business success BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS is important to your process.  Having the emotional intelligence to understand your team and their needs. In addition, understanding what your clients and the community expect and need from your business. Being able to cultivate relationships is a major key to business success.

Secret Ingredient: And this is what makes your grandma’s pie the best you have ever had!! It’s that one ingredient that you never would have though of, that pinch of salt, or dash of orange juice that sets the pie off!! In business this is called INNOVATION. It is the ability to think outside of the box and take risks.  You want to stand out among the crowd, you have to think more abstractly.

Smell: And now the pie is done, that smell tells it all. With smell being the first part of taste, consider that COMMUNICATION is the first taste anyone will get of your business. Do you know your mission and vision? Can you communicate information about your business in a concise and effective manner? The way you communicate can make or break your business.

Make Your Business as Success!

Did these tips resonate with you? Are you looking to make your business stand out? Let us help you make you business the success you are working towards. Send us a message in the form below and let us help you and your organization with all of your leadership and develop needs.

 

Let Your Light Shine







 

 

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SXSW EDU: 2018 Mentor

SXSW EDU

SXSW EDU 2018

I am very excited to announce that I was selected to be a mentor at the 2018 South By South West Education (SXSW EDU) Conference in Austin, Texas. This year will be the 8th year of the conference.  Not only am I looking forward to meeting a diverse group of professionals, educators, and students.  So, what is SXSW EDU. I’m glad you asked, it is a conference and festival focused on educating and inspiring engaged stakeholders in education  to make a difference. There are so many opportunities for individuals to learn new techniques or see what is new in the field. Check out below what SXSW EDU has to offer:

Happenings

Programs: SXSW EDU has a wealth of programs, so there is something for everyone. There will be plenty of sessions, films, and of course great speakers.  Head over to SXSW EDU to check out the programs here.

Competitions: Get ready to see some of the best and new talents and innovations coming to the educational field. There are going to be a total of three competitions: Launch, Learn and Design, and Student Startup. Check out each of them here.

Exhibitions: There will be numerous sessions that will give you the opportunity to have interactive learning. They range from programs focused on the culture in Austin, TX to the interactive playground. Check it out here.

Networking: If you are looking to meet network with a diverse group of people in the education field, this is the place to be. There were be plenty of networking sessions for participants and activities. You can also schedule to meet some diverse mentor working in all parts of the field…like me!!

With all these exciting things going on there is something that will surely be beneficial in helping you become better at what you do. What are you waiting for? Head over to SXSW EDU and register today!!!  And while you are at you can schedule a session to meet me!!! Use my link above to sign up:

SXSW EDU MENTOR SESSION

It is still not to late to register, head over to SXSW EDU.

 

 

 

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Life is Good

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It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum.

It is a long established fact that a reader will be distracted by the readable content of a page when looking at its layout. The point of using Lorem Ipsum is that it has a more-or-less normal distribution of letters, as opposed to using ‘Content here, content here’, making it look like readable English.

Many desktop publishing packages and web page editors now use Lorem Ipsum as their default model text, and a search for ‘lorem ipsum’ will uncover many web sites still in their infancy. Various versions have evolved over the years, sometimes by accident, sometimes on purpose (injected humour and the like).

There are many variations of passages of Lorem Ipsum available, but the majority have suffered alteration in some form, by injected humour, or randomised words which don’t look even slightly believable.

If you are going to use a passage of Lorem Ipsum, you need to be sure there isn’t anything embarrassing hidden in the middle of text. All the Lorem Ipsum generators on the Internet tend to repeat predefined chunks as necessary, making this the first true generator on the Internet.

It uses a dictionary of over 200 Latin words, combined with a handful of model sentence structures, to generate Lorem Ipsum which looks reasonable. The generated Lorem Ipsum is therefore always free from repetition, injected humour, or non-characteristic words etc.

The standard chunk of Lorem Ipsum used since the 1500s is reproduced below for those interested. Sections 1.10.32 and 1.10.33 from “de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum” by Cicero are also reproduced in their exact original form, accompanied by English versions from the 1914 translation by H. Rackham.

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Presentation 2015

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It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum.

It is a long established fact that a reader will be distracted by the readable content of a page when looking at its layout. The point of using Lorem Ipsum is that it has a more-or-less normal distribution of letters, as opposed to using ‘Content here, content here’, making it look like readable English.

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There are many variations of passages of Lorem Ipsum available, but the majority have suffered alteration in some form, by injected humour, or randomised words which don’t look even slightly believable.

If you are going to use a passage of Lorem Ipsum, you need to be sure there isn’t anything embarrassing hidden in the middle of text. All the Lorem Ipsum generators on the Internet tend to repeat predefined chunks as necessary, making this the first true generator on the Internet.

It uses a dictionary of over 200 Latin words, combined with a handful of model sentence structures, to generate Lorem Ipsum which looks reasonable. The generated Lorem Ipsum is therefore always free from repetition, injected humour, or non-characteristic words etc.

The standard chunk of Lorem Ipsum used since the 1500s is reproduced below for those interested. Sections 1.10.32 and 1.10.33 from “de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum” by Cicero are also reproduced in their exact original form, accompanied by English versions from the 1914 translation by H. Rackham.