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.
I’m glad you were able to take something away from the class, Jeanna, and appreciate your engagement with the concept of emotional intelligence. Daniel Goleman is one of the foremost thinkers and speakers on the topic. Here’s his website: http://www.danielgoleman.info