Series: Emotional Intelligence and Diversity: A Transformational Process for Professional Success and Effectiveness Each month for the next five months, look for the next installment of this series on DiversityCentral.com Article 1 - Emotional Intelligence and Diversity: What It Is and Why It Matters to You and Your Professional Success Article 2 - Affirmative Introspection: Looking Inside for a Pat on the Back and a Kick in the Pants Article 3 - Self-Governance: Managing Your Emotions so They Don't Sabotage You Article 4 - Intercultural Literacy: Your Must Have Competence in Today's Complex World Article 5 - Social Architecting: Structuring Relationships and Environments So All Can Thrive Article 1: Emotional Intelligence and Diversity: What It is and Why It Matters to You and Your Professional Success What Happens to You When You hear ethnic or racial slurs or jokes from people who defend their behavior by saying, "We can't have fun around here anymore now that we have to be so politically correct." Your input is not solicited or your suggestions are ignored because of your age, education, experience or gender Executives give verbal support for diversity, but fail to come through with resources and behavior that demonstrate commitment when the chips are down Careers are made and broken and your metal tested in times like these when your deepest values are touched and your emotions kick in. Diversity does have the potential to bring many benefits, but it's often hard to access the benefits when differences clash. Then the outcome is more likely to be along the lines of anger, frustration and hurt rather than creativity and a broadened perspective. This is where emotional intelligence comes in. Developing the capacity to understand and manage your feelings and deal effectively with others, no matter how great the differences, is both a critical competence and a key to your professional success. In today's workplace, where it is not uncommon to find four or five generations, multiple languages, many ethnicities and races, differences in gender, sexual orientation and religion as well as personalities and values, dealing with diversity is a requirement. How well you do that will depend in great part on your emotional intelligence. The EID Model Emotional Intelligence and Diversity (EID) is a system that provides a model for gaining insight and understanding about emotions and subsequent behaviors, both yours and others. In also builds skills which lead to interactions that are more productive and harmonious, less difficult and contentious. The competencies are both insight and action-based and pave the way for an intentional approach to more productive relationships that lead to the successful accomplishment of goals. To see how much you have already developed your Emotional Intelligence and Diversity, take the twelve question quiz below. EID QUIZ Do you know what pushes your buttons when dealing with differences? Have you spent time analyzing the values and beliefs that direct your behavior? Are you comfortable with yourself no matter where you are? Are you adaptable in the face of change? Can you manage your discomfort when you are uncertain about what to do? Is your "self-talk" affirming and realistic? Do you know about the cultural differences that direct the behavior of others? Can you see the upside, even in norms and practices you don't like? Can you put yourself in others' places and see things from their points of view? Do you help others understand behaviors from different cultural perspectives? Can you style shift to adapt communication to be effective with a wide array of people? Are you able to create welcoming and engaging environments in groups and teams? The more "Yes" responses you gave, the more you have already developed the Emotional Intelligence competencies necessary for effectiveness in diverse environments. If, like most of us, you've got some "No" or "it depends" responses, take a deeper look at the four components of EID to see what you can do to enhance your ability to deal with differences and the feelings they trigger. Affirmative Introspection Dealing with diversity is an "inside job." The first place to start is by looking inward at how you are wired so you can understand your own reactions, feelings and behaviors in the face of differences. Affirmative Introspection is the ability to take an honest, non-judgmental look at yourself. This involves accepting what you see, both the strengths and the vulnerabilities. This self-awareness is key to managing your emotions and accepting others. The three skills in Affirmative Introspection are: Knowing what makes me tick Being comfortable in my own skin Being in tune with my own biases and hot buttons Self-Governance The next aspect of EID, Self-Governance, is an action-based competency that helps you deal with the range and intensity of feelings experienced and triggered by differences. Most of us have seen people who manage their feelings poorly and have the effect of lobbing a grenade. Neither repressing nor exploding are effective ways to deal with volatile emotions. Rather, the energy of emotions needs to be managed and channeled in a constructive direction. The skill of maintaining healthy self-control in the face of upsetting emotions is what Self-Governance is about. The three skills in Self-Governance are: Making ambiguity an ally Being my own change master Getting in charge of self-talk Intercultural Literacy Focusing on yourself is only one-half of the job in dealing with differences. Understanding others is the second half. This involves knowledge about cultural differences that influence all our behavior. Defined by Geert Hofstede as "behavioral software," culture is the set of rules, norms and preferences that tell us how to behave and how to interpret the behavior of others. Intercultural Literacy involves the ability to understand a wide variety of cultural norms, seeing the upsides and downsides of all of them. It also entails being able to get beyond your own perspective and empathetically walk in another's shoes. Intercultural Literacy is a key skill in developing acceptance and understanding of others who are different so that you can interact with them productively. The three skills in Intercultural Literacy are: Understanding cultural whys behind behavior Seeing the benefits and limitations of all norms Transcending my own perspective (empathy) Social Architecting The name Social Architecting was purposefully chosen for the fourth aspect to convey the idea that each individual can do his or her part to be a bridge-building engineer in one-on-one relationships, work groups and organizations. It is about taking action to intentionally create good dialogue across differences and communicate in ways that resolve conflict effectively. It also means structuring a work environment that gets the best of everyone's talents and skills and utilizes creativity in an emotionally safe space. Whether you are an employee, team member, manager or leader, being a Social Architect is a critical competency in making the work environment a healthy, rich and productive place for all. The three skills in Social Architecting are: Serving as a cultural interpreter Communicating effectively and resolving conflicts in diverse settings Structuring synergistic and compelling environments Summing Up This article has given you a brief overview of the EID system with its emphasis on managing emotions effectively in a world of differences. The remainder of the series will explain each aspect of EID in more detail with examples and suggestions. For now, know that conscious, intentional behavior and insight that help you understand yourself and others better can be a major contributor to an effective, and productive workplace and a successful, satisfying life in and out of work. back to top

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