Monday, February 27, 2012

Putting Out Fires



http://www.eurotraining.co.uk/images/contentimages/Fuselage_fire_2_307.jpg

Most administrators would agree that we spend a lot of our time putting out fires that have been created by people.  Many of these fires are preventable.  The level of emotional intelligence plays a key role in successfully preventing most fires from starting.  Emotional intelligence is the ability to identify, assess, and control the emotions of oneself, of others, and of groups.  

Really it all goes back to the ability to develop healthy relationships. It's a nobrainer the employees that have a high emotional intelligence have less issues with students, parents and community.  They know when to push and when to lay off of them.  They effectively assess the body language of others and able to control their emotions regardless the level of displeasure.  

I believe that all successful leaders have a high level of emotional awareness.  They use controlled burning methods when dealing with tough situations.  

How do you encourage growth in your employee's emotional intelligence?


1 comment:

  1. You are right. Just as in the home, prevention is the key. Having "fire starters" as employees/colleagues is as detrimental to the school's culture as students can be to the classroom. I have wondered, "What makes a person a "fire starter"? "What does one get from being a 'fire starter'?" "Does a person even know they are acting as a 'fire starter'?" Hopefully, through the building of healthy relationships, courageous conversations can be had to address these issues and put others' needs and learning first.

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