Emotional Intelligence in Difficult Conversations

Yesterday morning I attended a professional development workshop offered by Human Resources. One strategy the workshop “Difficult Conversations” discussed was Judy Ringer’s “4 Steps to a Successful Outcome.” This was the process of inquiry, acknowledgment, advocacy, and problem-solving. Inquiry cultivates an attitude of discovery and curiosity; acknowledgment validates that you have heard and understood the other person; advocacy address your perspective and helps clarify your position without minimizing theirs; and problem-solving engages in building solutions through brainstorming and further inquiry. As part of the inquiry process engaging in ’emotional intelligence’ is valuable. “Emotional Intelligence.” I love this term! Although I actively engage in the process, the term was new to me. In difficult conversations this applies to your understanding of where that person is at: in other words, where they are coming from. By engaging emotional intelligence our ability to approach the issue at hand increases the prospects for a successful outcome.