Tune up your EQ

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A retreat is announced at your organisation. Do you feel excited, apprehensive or neutral? One thing’s for sure, you’re feeling something

I’ve facilitated retreats of all sizes, from community events, to business strategy sessions to summits led by Jamaica’s (then)Prime Minister. There’s a thread that runs through every retreat encounter.

Emotions are always involved..for those taking part…and for the facilitator

Tune up your EQ reader from Jamaica, Tanika Williams, who also featured in the Me and My EQ series, asked me this question about retreats:

” is there a way by which the facilitator may get feedback as to how each participant feels? In other words, is it possible to ask each participant to give a quantitative summary of at least two strengths and weaknesses of such a process/presentation? Or what they think could have been done better?”

Here are 13 tips that I use to help my participants use their emotional intelligence (instead of leaving it at the door on their way in). It helps them to get the most out of their retreats.

Before

1) Engage participants before the programme by inviting their comments, queries and expectations. Thanks, Ellen Weber for this suggestion.
2) Gauge where people are at emotionally at the beginning of the retreat by getting them to rate how they feel.

During

3) Continue to check how they’re feeling by asking them as the retreat develops.
4) Observe participants’ body language.
5) Adjust your approach during the retreat as 3 and 4 change.

Towards The End of Each Session

6) Ask participants to rate their levels of understanding of the planned next steps.
7) Ask them about their level of commitment to the next steps.

At The End of The Retreat

Finish off the retreat with a “closing circle, where everyone gets the chance to offer his/her comments.
9) Ask everyone to complete a written evaluation form.

After The Retreat

10) Produce a report that summarises the evaluation form
11) Review the summary report with the project sponsor
12) Ask the project sponsor a series of open ended questions to help evaluate the impact of the retreat.
13) Do a follow up evaluation in six months time.

Could these tips help you achieve more at your next retreat?

What other tips would help to make it more effective?

Be sure to read the other tipsd in the Related Posts section of this article.

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Every week, I write 3 original articles that help you improve your Emotional Intelligence. If you're new here, feel free to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

In the Top 8 Tools For Reflection series, 8 Tune up your EQ readers help you grasp the essence of EQ. In the final insight in the series, Tanika Williams, who told her story in the Me and My EQ series tells us that we must take charge of our transformation.

“Today I strive and I endeavour to always seek to take control of me. Transform me and seek to ignite others to see the need to change; because after all I can only change me.”

“No one will ever change unless such an individual sees, accepts and honours such a need by getting involved in one’s own transformation.”

2 Questions For You

1. Do you accept the challenge?
2. What’s next?

More Resources

Download the Essence of Emotional Intelligence Presentation.

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The 7 Laws Series
I’ve given a lot of thought to the ideas and suggestions that you’ve made regarding the 7th Law of Emotional Intelligence.

Before I share my thoughts, I want to remind us that the purpose of the 7 Laws is to steer us safey through the perils of an Emotional Intelligence overload. If we focus on Read the rest of this entry »

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This month’s BrightIdeas™ presentation

Download the Emotional Intelligence and the New 3Rs Presentation.

Once upon a time, your Intelligence Quotient (IQ) was viewed as the factor that determined how far you progressed in your career. Emotional Intelligence research shows that IQ addresses only part of the story about career success.

A 1996 study by the Center For Creative Leadership showed that 70% of the reasons why executives failed to fulfill their career potential were linked to deficiencies in their Emotional Intelligence.

In this month’s BrightIdeas presentation, learn about a powerful new set of 3R s, Receptivity, Research and Reflection.

The days of the traditional 3Rs of Reading, Writing (sic) and “rithmetic” are over. Ask yourself my 10 questions, get new insights, tips and approaches to improve your Emotional Intelligence and speed your way to a brand new YOU.

Free You Can Improve Your EQ E-Book

This E-Book is a follow up to the Tune up your Emotional Intelligence Workbook. In it Vickie Thompson, Tyrone Small, Tanika Williams and Jeanette Campbell share how they successfully used the Workbook to improve their Emotional Intelligence.

“Your EQ materials have helped my EQ to grow immensely and it has now become an integral part of me. I am glowing/beaming; after all I am in control of myself and am so very very happy. With this immense growth I have now further realised that I need to venture into a career/vocation that activates minds to become EQ Intelligent.”

Tanika Williams, Jamaica

“I can face life thinking that challenges are just challenges , opportunities, and do not mean that I am still stuck in that dark pit of negative programming. I have been able to surface from some trees and see a forest.”

Jeanette Campbell, Jamaica

Download the Emotional Intelligence and the New 3Rs Presentation.

See the BrightIdeas™ Presentation Archive

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Me and My EQ Series contributor Tanika Williams sparked an interesting conversation when she suggested I change to 7th Law from:

“I can learn and practice new and more effective behaviours”:

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