The other day, I took my emotional intelligence self-assessment (EQ quiz for short), and found that I have some room for growth in the areas of self-regulation and spirituality.
UGH! What’s an ECE {r}evolutionary to do?
Particularly one who “preaches” all the time about the need to “stop, think, and then act” (aka self-regulation), and the importance of engaging in contemplative practices (aka spirituality).
Did you take the quiz and find yourself asking the same thing?
Go here to take my EQ Quiz for ECE leaders (available in paper and online format)
After taking the quiz, you may wonder, “How can I increase or strengthen my emotional intelligence?”
The good news is, it’s totally possible to raise your EQ!
And more good news!
I’ve shared tons of strategies for raising the EQ of ECE leaders in my blog titled, “ECE Leaders Need A High EQ! Is Yours High Enough?”.
(In this post, I want to share one more solution…)
A powerful solution…one that can raise your EQ, and allow you to deliver professional development and learning that addresses the heart, mind, and body of early educators (i.e., address their wholeness).
That solution? Reflection!
In a previous post with Laura Fish, a number of guiding questions, along with a framework for self-reflection, were shared.
(Click here to read and download those questions.)
And in this post, I offer a few more guiding questions. Ones that can be easily embedded into a professional development event, a staff meeting, or even into an online course discussion…and they are questions that will help raise everyone’s EQ!
Guiding Questions To Raise EQ:
- What has the past year prepared me to become in this new year?
- What has the past year taught me to be?
- What has the past year prepared me to do?
- What can I learn from this? (instead of stating, “I already know this.”)
- How can this work for me? (instead of stating, “This won’t work for me.”)
- How will I create space in my life to do the deep work that only I can do?
- How can I learn to give and to receive help?
- How can I let go of the fear of disappointing people?
- How can I let go of the “helper & fixer” as my identity and source of my self worth?
- ___________________________ (I invite you to generate one of your own)
Sources:
The first three guiding questions are adapted from a meditation session offered by Kristoffer KC Carter, the 4th and 5th guiding questions are adapted from the “The Copy Cure” by Marie Forleo, the 6th question is adapted from “Wild Money” by Luna Jaffe, and questions 7-9 are adapted from “Braving the Wilderness” by Brene Brown.
(Ok…now it is time to give these guiding questions a try.)
Once you’ve put these questions into practice, be sure to come over to Facebook and share how they transformed your professional development offering.
And of course, let us know if they raised anyone’s EQ!
Click To Access Reusable/Sharable EQ Quiz Resources