Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence can be defined as our ability to identify a wide variety of emotional states in ourselves and others, to express our feelings in words and to respond to the emotions of others with patience and empathy. Research shows that emotions play a major role in our behavior at work, and they influence both the social climate and productivity of any organization.
Emotional intelligence and emotion management are important in every position within Catholic Community Services, ISN and CCSF. These skills and abilities are practiced through community meetings, check-ins, and our commitment to non-violent communication.
If a team member lets you know in a community meeting that they are feeling stressed or overwhelmed, you can take that information and adjust your manner of communication accordingly, for instance, by using a more quiet and gentle tone of voice. It’s also supportive to ask if they need a check-in and follow through outside the meeting if the response is yes.
We also model emotional intelligence and healthy emotion management by learning to regulate our own emotional states, even when we are under extreme pressure. This is where your personal safety plan can make all the difference. Having your safety plan close at hand is now an organizational requirement. The Safety Plan Template that fits in the pocket of your name badge lanyard is a handy tool for meeting this requirement.