Emotional Intelligence™ | Training Activity

Good emotional intelligence skills in managers and staff help to create a positive work environment in which productivity, staff wellbeing and morale can prosper, so much so, that many employers place greater emphasis on EI than on IQ.

In this activity, participants, working in small teams, are shown a set of 30 cards. Each card poses a question that relates, in some way, to emotional intelligence. It could ask participants to consider how they might regulate their own emotions in a given situation, or what strong personal values they hold, that help structure their actions and decisions, or whether or not they agree with a given statement.

There are three card types: Response, Task and Yes/No cards (and there are ten of each card type - making 30 in total).

For each card, participants record their response (on Handouts A&B) - first in terms of their own personal response and then as a consensus team response. The individual response allows for self-analysis and through trying to reach a team consensus, the card is aired, shared and discussed. People learn from hearing viewpoints from others and having to give reasons to support their own. The activity is not in any way a test. Each member of the team has their own forms, so any notes participants make about themselves are strictly for their eyes only.

Together, the cards show how EI is about self-awareness, self-restraint, empathy, self-esteem and good social skills - and about regulating emotions rather than allowing them to take centre stage.

After the debrief, there is a handout for individuals to take away, which can be used as an aide-memoire to help them put what they have learned into practice. By participating in this activity, participants will find out about the topic in an interactive way, explore their own levels of EI, build a list of the skills and attributes associated with good EI, find ways to improve levels of EI, and help make their performance at work (and in life) more rewarding.

• Explores about the topic in an interactive way
• Enables participants to explore their own levels of EI
• Build a list of the skills and attributes associated with good EI
• Find out ways to improve levels of EI
• Help staff make their performance at work (and in life) more rewarding

1. Introduce the activity in plenary session (using the optional introductory PowerPoint if you wish). When using virtually, arrange the group into teams of 3-6 and install in breakout rooms. In the classroom, teams simply sit at different tables.
2. Issue the set of 30 cards together with Handouts A & B (for participants to note their responses).
3. Teams work through the cards one at a time. If time is limited, you may choose to omit certain cards - or give a time-guide of, for example, two minutes per card.
4. Observe teams in action and collect any interesting interactions for the debrief.
5. Halt proceedings after the hour and allow teams a few moments to reflect on the session.
6. Lead a debrief in plenary to bring out the learning points. The Trainer’s Notes includes a commentary for every card.
7. Finally, issue Handout C that summarises the topic and gives tips for the future.

Full guidance supplied in the Trainer’s Notes.

Hard & Digital Copy

• ☑️ Hard copy pack supplied
• ☑️ PDFs & PowerPoints supplied

Digital Copy

• ☑️ PDFs & PowerPoints supplied

Contents

• Trainer’s Notes
• Trainer's Introductory PowerPoint
• Set of 30 Cards x4 (and in PDF & PowerPoint format)
• Handout A: Response Form
• Handout B: Tasks Form
• Handout C: Notes on EI

This activity is for face-to-face and virtual classroom use. The digital files are supplied via the Northgate Trainerhub.

This Northgate Training activity comes with a five-year licence for repeat use with up to 24 participants at a time, for use by Trainers based at one licence-holding site.

All Trainers physically based at the same office location can access the Northgate resources during the five-year term, including the digital resources supplied on the Trainerhub via your own site-specific Trainer Dashboard. If you have Trainers based at other locations, and/or remote workers, who would like to access and use the Northgate resources, we can advise further depending on your requirements.

For further information on our licence terms please view the Northgate Licence Agreement.