NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Mid-Atlantic hosted the Department of the Navy Civilian Employee Assistance Program (DONCEAP) training “Using Emotional Intelligence for Workplace Success,” Jan. 28, as an opportunity for its employees to further develop their soft skills and increase team performance.
Licensed Professional Counselor and DONCEAP Field Consultant Philip Taylor covered what emotional intelligence is, its five components, why it is important in the workplace, and ways to enhance emotional intelligence. Those who attended the training learned that emotional intelligence is the ability to identify emotions in ourselves and others, and the ability to manage our behavior and relationships.
Taylor explained that emotional intelligence is a skill that can be learned, practiced and improved upon. He also broke down the definition of emotional intelligence into its five components, which are self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills.
“Self-awareness refers to recognizing our own emotions and acknowledging personal strengths and weaknesses. One way to improve self-awareness is to be mindful of how you speak to yourself,” he said. “Don’t talk to yourself in a way you wouldn’t allow others to talk to you. Self-regulation describes the control over our own emotions and actions. Communication is important because things that aren’t talked out are acted out.”
The training materials that were provided describe motivation as having a sense of purpose and doing more than what is required or expected. Thinking positively can improve motivation. Empathy varies from sympathy in that empathy does not mean to feel bad or pity another person. It is the ability to put ourselves in another person’s shoes and see things from another perspective. Lastly, Taylor referred to social skills as the ability to communicate effectively and be a good listener. Improve social skills by taking responsibility for your actions.
Kayleigh Vadala, human resources specialist with NAVFAC Mid-Atlantic Labor and Employee Relations department, who attend the training explained that she was interested in taking a class on emotional intelligence because she has always been interested in human behavior and communication styles.
“There was a simple chain of events our instructor kept referring to that resonated with me. Our thoughts lead to our feelings. Our feelings lead to our actions. And our actions result in an external response from the world around us. If we don’t like a response, we need to change our thoughts,” Vadala said. “I think emotional intelligence is vital to our success. Courses that offer insight and tips on how to communicate with each other and understand one another more effectively will only aid in the betterment of our command.”
The emotional intelligence training was provided as part of the DONCEAP series of Health and Wellness presentations. In addition to in-person trainings, DONCEAP offers health and wellness articles, apps and live webinars as well as information ranging from child and eldercare to legal and financial resources.
NAVFAC Mid-Atlantic provides facilities engineering, public works and environmental products and services across an area of responsibility that spans from Georgia to Maine and as far west as Indiana. As an integral member of the Commander Navy Region Mid-Atlantic team, NAVFAC Mid-Atlantic provides leadership through the Regional Engineer organization to ensure the region's facilities and infrastructure are managed efficiently and effectively.