Fostering team emotional intelligence

Team EQ is a set of norms that develop as group members interact with each other. Norms need to be created in order to establish the following:

1. Mutual trust among members;
2. A sense of group identity; and
3. A sense of group efficacy.

When working within a group, it is important to recognise that developing team EQ is most effectively done as the group engages in its task. Group norms develop as a result of the actions or inactions of team members.

Using the additional levels of awareness and regulation for team EQ, recommended norms are provided at each level.

Individual Level

• Working with individual’s emotions:
  • Take time away from group tasks to get to know one another;
  • Have check-ins at the beginning of meetings and ask how everyone is doing;
  • Assume that undesirable behaviour happens for a reason – understand the reason and avoid negative attributions;
  • Tell team members how you feel or what you are thinking; and
  • Ask whether everyone agrees with a decision.
• Regulating individual’s emotions:
  • Set ground rules and use them to point out errant behaviour;
  • Hold members accountable for errant behaviour;
  • Support members and volunteer to help if they need it, while being flexible and providing emotional support;
  • Validate individual’s contributions – let members know they are valued;
  • Protect members from being attacked by other team members;
  • Respect individuality and differences in perspectives; and
  • Never be derogatory or demeaning.

Group Level

• Working with group emotions:
  • Schedule time to examine team effectiveness;
  • Create measurable tasks and process objectives, and then measure them;
  • Acknowledge and discuss group moods;
  • Allow members to question the process;
  • Post your work and invite feedback; and
  • Benchmark your processes.
• Regulating group emotions:
  • Make time to discuss difficult issues;
  • Find creative ways to express the emotion in the group;
  • Create fun ways to relieve group stress and tension;
  • Express acceptance of group members’ emotions;
  • Reinforce that the team can meet a challenge;
  • Focus on what you can control;
  • Remind members of the group’s important and positive mission;
  • Remind the group how it solved a similar problem before;
  • Focus on problem-solving, not blaming; and
  • Anticipate problems and address them before they happen.

Cross-Boundary Level

• Working with emotions outside of the group:
  • Create opportunities for networking and interaction;
  • Ask about the needs of other teams;
  • Provide support for other teams; and
  • Invite others to team meetings if they have a stake in what you are doing.

References:

Druskat, U.V. & Wolff, S.B. (2001). Building the Emotional Intelligence of Groups. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from  https://hbr.org/2001/03/building-the-emotional-intelligence-of-groups?autocomplete=true

Wolff, S.B. (2006). Group Emotional Intelligence (GEI) Survey: Technical Manual. GEI Partners. Retrieved from http://www.eiconsortium.org/pdf/GEI_Technical_Manual.pdf