Fred Gatty is an executive coach and founder of Gatts Consulting, a boutique executive coaching firm.
The ability to understand and manage emotions is crucial for both personal and professional success. This concept, known as emotional intelligence (EI), encompasses a set of competencies that can be cultivated to enhance leadership, teamwork and overall effectiveness in the workplace.
According to TalentSmartEQ, 90% of top performers in the workplace possess high EI. This suggests a strong correlation between emotional intelligence and employee performance. The Consortium for Research on Emotional Intelligence in Organizations reported that executives who scored higher in emotional intelligence were more likely to be rated as outstanding leaders by their peers and subordinates.
Four competencies make up emotional intelligence. They are self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and relationship management. The area that tends to have the most impact on us is self-management—how we manage our emotions, behaviors or impulses.
Introducing The STAR Method: A Practical Approach To Self-Management
Here is a simple four-step process I developed on how to tame that beast. I call this the STAR method. This method provides a simple yet effective framework for mastering self-management, a cornerstone of emotional intelligence. Let’s delve deeper into each step and explore its implications for organizational development:
Step 1: Stop
In today’s fast-paced work environments, the impulse to react immediately to challenging situations can be overwhelming. When you pause and stop, you interrupt your automatic responses and create space for reflection. In the context of organizational development, fostering a culture that values mindful pauses can lead to more thoughtful decision-making, reduced conflict and increased resilience among team members.
Imagine you’re in a team meeting and a colleague criticizes your work in front of everyone. Your immediate reaction might be to defend yourself or retaliate. Instead, you can take a deep breath and pause for a moment before responding. This allows you to collect your thoughts and choose a more constructive approach.
Step 2: Think
Taking the time to think helps you shift from a reactive to a proactive mindset. This step encourages self-reflection, allowing you to consider the implications of your actions and choose a response aligned with your values and goals.
A client expresses frustration about a service. Before responding, consider the client’s perspective, review the facts objectively and think about how your response can address their concerns while maintaining a professional tone. This thoughtful approach can help de-escalate the situation and preserve the client relationship. Promoting a culture of reflection and mindfulness can enhance employee engagement, creativity and overall well-being, contributing to a more positive and productive work environment.
Step 3: Assess
Assessing available options empowers you to approach challenges with clarity and intentionality. By considering various perspectives and potential outcomes, you can make informed decisions that align with organizational objectives and foster positive outcomes. Incorporating this step into organizational development initiatives encourages strategic thinking, adaptability and a solutions-oriented approach to problem-solving.
Step 4: Respond
Finally, responding emphasizes the importance of choosing a thoughtful and intentional course of action.
During a team brainstorming session, a colleague proposes an idea that you disagree with. Rather than reacting impulsively, take a moment to respond thoughtfully. Acknowledge your colleague’s contribution, express your concerns diplomatically and offer alternative suggestions. By differentiating between reacting and responding, you can cultivate a sense of agency and control over your emotions and behaviors. It also helps you adopt a responsive mindset that fosters collaboration, trust and effective communication, driving success and innovation within the organization.
Integrating the STAR method into leadership development programs, team-building activities and conflict-resolution initiatives can yield significant benefits for organizations. By equipping employees at all levels with practical strategies for managing their emotions and behaviors, organizations can enhance employee engagement, improve teamwork and ultimately achieve their strategic objectives. Mastering emotional intelligence is not an elusive goal but a tangible skill that can be developed through deliberate practice and self-awareness.
Forbes Coaches Council is an invitation-only community for leading business and career coaches. Do I qualify?