by Kevin Conn
Campus housing professionals are expected to be intelligent and competent even while performing within what often is a fast-paced and high-pressure environment. Sometimes, though, the push to be an intellectual leader can result in the emotional part of the job sliding to the back burner. But it does not have to be an either-or situation. In fact, becoming an emotionally intelligent practitioner can strengthen all aspects of one’s professional foundation and everyday practice. There are skills and techniques to enhance one’s understanding of emotions and maximize one’s potential. With a strong foundation in emotional intelligence, often referred to as EQ, practitioners can improve their work with students, expand their ability to connect and engage with colleagues, and advance within their field.
Humans are hard-wired to receive stimuli; the brain sends a signal to the body, it reacts, and then the signal is passed on to the part of the brain that focuses on logic for deeper processing and reasoning. People react first and then think about it. With a firm understanding and a working EQ framework, though, people can refine that process so that there is time to think about a given situation before acting. Taking time to process a reaction can provide a well-rounded response with more thought about the situation and its significance.
So, what is emotional intelligence? The concept was initially articulated as a framework to appraise, regulate, motivate, and achieve within the emotional landscape of oneself and others. But how are we the architects of our emotional framework? How do we as individuals react to stimuli, perceive others’ reactions, and motivate others through emotional influence? Emotions can be compelling and can do more harm than good in certain situations. How often have you witnessed someone (or been someone) overreacting to something that may have been very simple yet still set off a trigger? Such situations may involve a phone call from an angry stakeholder, escalated parental or student concerns, or challenges with staff dynamics. These situations can be challenging, and taking the time and the right approach to dealing with them can make all the difference. Normalizing this process, knowing that these situations are common, and learning when and how to respond to triggers are significant aspects of how housing professionals can learn and adapt their emotional intelligence management to all aspects of their work.
To prepare a staff or department for success, it is vital to provide training and development on this topic during the onboarding process and beyond. Training and development efforts can materialize through ongoing one-on-one conversations with supervisors, large-scale training opportunities for staff and departments, and strategic planning. Everyone has emotions, good days and bad days; in the end, what’s most important is how we invest in our team to do their best work and support them along the way.
Humans are innately social beings, so it is critical to create a space where individuals can express their thoughts and opinions within a helpful, productive, and conducive framework that supports the team around them.
Entering into a new job at any organization allows not only for a new start but also a fresh perspective and unique voice joining the team. Although a strong EQ is not the definitive success story for an employee at any organization, according to a study conducted by Steven Stein and Howard Book of more than 16,000 individuals, “EQ can account for between 15 percent and 45 percent of work success.” While this range is substantial, it indicates that EQ does have an impact on job performance. Humans are innately social beings, so it is critical to create a space where individuals can express their thoughts and opinions within a helpful, productive, and conducive framework that supports the team around them.
When onboarding new employees, it is important to engage them in conversations with campus stakeholders, fellow departmental colleagues, and others to help form good working relationships, which can help them with their transition, their ability to make connections, and their work success. It is also essential to bring emotional intelligence into the process. Campus recruitment teams hire staff for their intellectual capital as well as the soft skills they can bring to a group. EQ training can help employees establish emotional connections as well as showing them how to perceive and understand emotions when working with others, such as staff and students, and how to use EQ to promote positive organizational change. In the end, people tend to do better work when they like the people with whom they work. An EQ framework can also prepare staff as they take on more challenging situations such as intense student issues, departmental changes, and significant institutional developments. Of course, when starting a new role, time is spent adjusting and learning, but building a skill set and nurturing one’s emotional intelligence is always time always well spent.
As an employee settles into the new job, they should become part of ongoing one-on-one conversations about their performance, feedback, and experience in the position. It is vital to provide time during each quarter or semester (beginning, middle, and end) to discuss an employee’s progress in strengthening their emotional intelligence. Personal growth in this dimension reflects not only an understanding of EQ, but also how the employee utilizes this framework within their team. These conversations should also include a review of any challenging incidents they may want to revisit as an opportunity for continued learning. Normalizing emotional intelligence as a tool for daily practice rather than as a simple trait assessment can have a significant impact.
Training is a significant part of ongoing practice and of integrating EQ in any area. Training should consist of check-ins with staff during their first six months on the job, followed by a full staff review of the topic during the academic year and opportunities for staff to connect and share insights and knowledge across the department. The scope and application of EQ can be broadened to include consideration of emotional intelligence in all areas of the work, ranging from advising students to responding to crises. It is also essential to take the knowledge learned along the way and utilize it in practice to assess long-term learning and growth. Doing this helps to motivate people by training them to maximize their talents, plan for the future, and develop strategies for success going forward.
Finally, it is important to continually think about the vision and direction for the future. EQ can help employees navigate diverse settings and work through conversations about staff conflict that may occur over time. According to the authors of The Emotionally Intelligent Manager, strengthening motivation, communicating visions, promoting change, and building interpersonal relationships and connections are possible through active development and engagement within the EQ framework. For example, in planning for the direction of a department or division, how will you integrate an EQ framework into creating connections between staff members, setting a vision, and enabling a sense of motivation in the team? This framework is essential when considering any organization’s short- and long-term objectives, and it cultivates an environment supportive of employee success, buy-in, and a sense of belonging that help further enhance an employee’s understanding of their value within the department.
Real-life situations and skill-building scenarios can be beneficial in relaying and adapting this framework to employees’ everyday work. EQ is a helpful tool for working with teams from diverse backgrounds and identities by refining ways to develop communication and processes within an organization. For example, a recent study on the relationship between EQ and empowerment found that managers who instilled a sense of value and empowerment within their team by establishing connections and providing autonomous support positively impacted the employee and the team. It is important for employees to understand how they can contribute to the team and how their work adds value to the organization. With thoughtful care and training, utilizing EQ can significantly and positively impact the overall training, onboarding, and development of employees and can have a strong influence on team dynamics. As departments and staff invest more in this work, a greater sense of buy-in and focus on the organization’s future comes to the forefront.
RESOURCES
Dr. Kevin Conn is the executive director of student housing and residential life at California State University Northridge. He has presented on the topic of emotional intelligence at a number of conferences.
