PRACTICAL USES OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AT WORK 1. LEARN AND PRACTICE OPTIMISM FOR SUCCESS. Learn to see the donut, not the hole. To do more than survive, to thrive in a world of accelerating change and uncertainty, we need to respond well to adversity. Optimism is a skill just like listening than can be learned and perfected over time. 2. POSITIVE SELF-TALK; TALK YOURSELF OUT OF DEFEAT The way we talk to ourselves can and does affect our sense of well-being and our ability to motivate ourselves in the face of challenge. By striving to be optimistic and learning to replace negative self-talk with positive self-talk we will bring about a more productive and creative climate at work and help participants to be more proactive in taking control of themselves. 3. THE ART OF LETTING GO: YOU’LL NEVER BE A BUTTERFLY IF YOU CAN’T STOP BEING A CATERPILLAR. It is important to learn to tackle the essence of coping effectively with change and letting go of old ways of thinking and behaving. Challenging existing concepts enables you to understand your own resistance to change. 4. MANAGING UNHEALTHY ANGER: YOU CAN’T ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WANT. Many people have difficulty managing their anger. Frustrations build up in the fast-changing workplace where roles are not always well defined and job security no longer exists. Anger usually results from frustration. Frustration results from feeling disappointed or unable to control or improve your situation. A sense of control is a basic human need. Frustration behaves like an emotional virus, infecting everyone. 5. INCREASING SENSITIVITY: TAKE A LOOK AT THE EMOTIONAL LANDSCAPE. In a stressful work environment, it is easy to ignore the mood and morale of our co-workers. People rarely communicate how they feel. However, being insensitive to the needs and feeling of others makes it hard to gain their support and enthusiasm. The ability to recognize our own feelings and the emotions of those around us is a key step in developing emotional literacy. Emotions bring people together. Our emotions are perhaps the greatest potential source of uniting all members of the human race. Empathy, Compassion, Cooperation and Forgiveness together have the potential to unite us as people. Our thoughts may tend to divide us, whereas our emotions, if given the chance, will unite us. [Adapted from George Anderson] For more information, please contact Dr. Steven J. Sinert, Certified Anger Management Provider Nevada Anger Management, LLC 5812S. Pecos Road – Suite B Las Vegas, NV 89120 702353 1750 Email: dr.sinert@nevadaangermanagement.com