Insights from Head of Coaching

EQ, as you may know, stands for “emotional intelligence,” a constellation of critical power skills that ambitious international students like you need to succeed in any global workplace, especially if you aspire to leadership roles. One of the hallmarks of Western EQ, seemingly paradoxically, is the ability to constructively engage in and manage conflict. For some candidates, perhaps even you, the concept of doing so can feel strange, uncomfortable and rife with opportunity to both lose face and/or witness others’ losing face, the antithesis of a principle with which you may have been raised.
 

The good news, though, is that it’s possible to confront disagreement not only in a positive way, but even through methods that foster stronger relationships on the other side of the dissent. As EQ expert Dr. Travis Bradberry puts this, “The secret to effective handling of conflict is assertiveness.”  While choosing to be assertive might seem too risky to a young talent like you or your friends, Dr. Bradberry cites research from Columbia University demonstrating its unavoidable nature, that “how you handle conflict can make or break your career.”

His six suggestions on how to be appropriately and effectively assertive constitute powerful learning for new professionals like you, and, while perhaps requiring the building of new muscles, they are fortunately fundamentally based on respect for others, a value that resonates among nearly everyone (hopefully including you). Equally important, these ideas represent “what it takes” to advance an initiative in a business setting, where significant efforts can become stalled due to lack of communication, avoidance and/or passive-aggressive behavior (all of which can derail a promising career).
 

Why not practice engaging in such “challenging situations,” within the safe environment of a trusted coaching relationship? Doing so, whether through discussion or role-play, will only strengthen your competency in communication, critical thinking, problem-solving, listening, persuasion, curiosity and a host of other key power skills.
 

This Hallowe’en, why not learn the “tricks” to embracing and managing differences, through which you may well receive the “treats” of greater confidence, deeper respect and more productive relationships, moving forward?