What is it?

A workshop inspired by the book "Primal Leadership: Realizing the Power of Emotional Intelligence" by Daniel Goleman, Richard Boyatzis, and Annie McKee.

Why is it useful?

This simple three-step workshop provides a practical and interactive way for participants to develop and apply emotional intelligence in their leadership roles.

Objectives

• To gain a deeper understanding of our own emotional intelligence strengths and areas for improvement.
• To learn techniques to manage our emotions and develop empathy towards others.
• To learn about different leadership styles and how to apply them effectively in various situations.

Resources Required

• Time: 5.5 hours.
• Number of People: About 4-20.
• PowerPoint slides or a whiteboard for the presentation.
• Supporting slides.
• Emotional Intelligence Self-Reflection Worksheet.
• Emotional Intelligence Self-Assessment.
• Leadership Style Questionnaire.
• Personal Development Plan.
• Flip charts for recording discussions.
• Marker pens.

Process

Step 1: Self-Awareness and Self-Assessment (1.5 hours)

Objective: To gain a deeper understanding of our own emotional intelligence strengths and areas for improvement.

1. Introduction and Overview (10 minutes):
   • Briefly introduce the concept of emotional intelligence (EI) and its importance in leadership.
   • Explain the four domains of EI: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management.
2. Self-Reflection Exercise (30 minutes):
   • Provide participants with a guided self-reflection worksheet that includes questions about their emotional responses, strengths, and challenges in leadership situations.
   • Questions could include: "Describe a recent situation where you felt a strong emotion at work. How did you handle it?" and "What are your greatest strengths as a leader?"
3. Emotional Intelligence Self-Assessment (30 minutes):
   • Administer a brief EI self-assessment (can be a simplified version or a summary of a more comprehensive tool).
   • Allow participants to score their assessments and reflect on the results.
4. Group Discussion (10 minutes):
   • Facilitate a group discussion where participants can share insights from their self-reflection and assessment.
   • Encourage participants to identify one key area they would like to develop further.

Step 2: Developing Self-Regulation & Empathy (2 hours)

Objective: Apply the concepts of autonomy, mastery, and purpose to real-life scenarios.

1. Introduction to Self-Regulation (10 minutes):
   • Explain the concept of self-regulation and its significance in leadership.
   • Introduce techniques such as pausing before reacting, reframing thoughts, and stress management.
2. Self-Regulation Practice (30 minutes):
   • Conduct a mindfulness exercise, such as a guided meditation or focused breathing session.
   • Provide scenarios for participants to practice pausing and reframing their thoughts (e.g., handling criticism, managing conflict).
3. Introduction to Empathy (10 minutes):
   • Create a definition for empathy together as a group & its role in leadership.
   • Discuss the importance of active listening and perspective-taking.
4. Empathy Building Exercise (30 minutes):
   • Pair participants and have them engage in an active listening exercise where one person shares a recent challenge and the other practices listening without interrupting or offering solutions.
   • Switch roles and repeat.
5. Role-Playing Scenarios (20 minutes):
   • In small groups, have participants role-play different workplace scenarios that require empathy (e.g., giving feedback, resolving a team conflict).
   • Encourage participants to practice empathic responses and discuss their experiences afterward.

Step 3: Understanding & Applying Leadership Styles (2 hours)

Objective: Participants will learn about different leadership styles and how to apply them effectively in various situations.

1. Introduction to Leadership Styles (15 minutes):
   • Provide an overview of the six leadership styles identified in the book.
   • Discuss the strengths & weaknesses of each style.
2. Self-Assessment of Leadership Style (20 minutes):
   • Distribute & complete the leadership style questionnaire in this download that helps participants identify their predominant leadership style.
3. Group Discussion on Leadership Styles (15 minutes):
   • Facilitate a discussion where participants share their results.
   • Discuss the importance of flexibility & adapting leadership styles to situations.
4. Role-Playing Scenarios (20 minutes):
   • Assign different leadership scenarios to small groups, with each group tasked to role-play the scenario using a specific leadership style.
   • After each role-play, discuss as a group the effectiveness of the style used.
5. Personal Development Plan (20 minutes):
   • Guide participants in creating a personal development plan.
   • The plan should include goals and a timeline for reassessment.
6. Group Sharing and Commitment (10 minutes):
   • Allow participants to share 1 goal from their development plan with the group.
   • Encourage participants to commit to regular self-reflection and practice.