Reflecting on One's Emotions

In the Inspiring Leadership through Emotional Intelligence course, I watched a video speaking about social-emotional training that was provided at schools. The interesting thing was the "lights" system used during such training.

1. The red light was used to signal stop, what are you feeling? Try labeling it.
2. The yellow light represented: what does it mean? What are you likely to do whenever you feel this way?
3. Finally the green light symbolized: what should you do next to be more helpful to yourself and others?

The study was conducted by CASEL and found out that such social-emotional training has resulted in a great increase in the academic and social performance of students at that school.

The above exercise can be used during training workshops by soft skills trainers perhaps in communication skills training programs.

Self Assessment in Coaching

While watching a video in week three of the Inspiring Leadership through Emotional Intelligence course, I heard the lecturer mentioning self assessment as being used during coaching sessions. I believe self assessment tools can be powerful means by which a coaching client can get insights about himself or herself as well as a way for the coach to learn more about the coachee in order to be better able to help him or her.

Effect of Stressful and Pleasant Encounters - Exercise

While watching the second video of the Inspiring Leadership through Emotional Intelligence online course, I came across an interesting exercise that can be done during a training workshop about leadership or about relationships at work. The exercise simply goes something like this:

1. Sit comfortably, relax, your back straight and your hands on your knees.
2. Close your eyes.
3. Think of an annoying person whom you have dealt with and an annoying and stressful situation that took place with such person.
1. What emotions do you feel?
2. What bodily sensations, if any, do you feel in your body and where?
4. Now think of a 3-year old child or a pet, you are playing with that child and hugging the child.
1. Now what emotions do you feel?
2. What bodily sensations do you feel in your body and where?
5. Reflect on your emotional and bodily sensations and write them down.

Participants in the workshop can then share their sensations with one another. Trainer may also reflect on the activity and summarize or add up common sensations that commonly take place during each part of that exercise including both emotional and physical (bodily) ones.

Leadership Training Exercise

While watching the first video lecture of the Inspiring Leadership through Emotional Intelligence online course on Coursera by Richard Boyatzis, I came across an interesting exercise that can be used during leadership training. The exercise loosely goes something like this:

1. Ask participants to think of two managers they have had in the past, one good and one bad then write each one's name on a piece of paper.
2. Under the name of each manager, ask participants to write his or her qualities and what he or she used to do.
3. Reflect on the good and bad lists written by participants.