Emotional Intelligence  9 Jan 2025  15

How To Improve Emotional

Intelligence Through Training
6 Feb 2019 by Madhuleena Roy Chowdhury, BA 

Scientifically reviewed by Tiffany Sauber Millacci, Ph.D. 

Have you ever

noticed your
feelings?

How often have you

stepped into others’
shoes and experienced their emotions?

How well do you understand what you feel and why you
feel so?

Emotional Intelligence is our mind’s ability to perceive,

manage, and express emotions effectively in real life. Jack
Mayer and Peter Salovey (1990) defined Emotional
Intelligence (or E.I.) as the ability to regulate feelings and
use them to guide our actions.

Like I.Q., emotional intelligence varies from one person to

another. While some people are gifted by birth in the way
they understand and deal with people, others may need
help to build their emotional skills.

Getting fluent in the language of emotions helps us sustain

our relationships both personally and professionally.
Emotional intelligence can empower the mind and make us
happy and content.


The term “Emotional Intelligence” was first published in a
paper by Michael Beldoch in 1964, but became popular after


Daniel Goleman’s 1995 book “Emotional Intelligence – Why
it can matter
3 Emotional more thanExercises
Intelligence IQ.” (PDF) Download

A well-balanced, empathetic, and friendly person is more

emotionally aware than an unempathetic and demotivated
individual. The studies of Daniel Goleman illustrated an
emotionally intelligent person to have:

 The ability to recognize own emotions

 The ability to relate to others’ emotions

 The ability to actively listen to others

 The ability to actively participate in interpersonal

communication and understand the nonverbal cues of
behavior

 The ability to control one’s thoughts and feelings

 The ability to effectively manage emotions and

express them in a socially acceptable way

 The ability to receive criticisms positively and benefit

from them

 The power to forgive, forget, and move on rationally

How many of the above qualities can you relate to yourself?

In this article, we will try to uncover the practical

implications of emotional intelligence and discuss how to
use it for wholesome and healthy living.

Before you read on, we thought you might like to download

our three Emotional Intelligence Exercises for free. These
science-based exercises will not only enhance your ability
to understand and work with your emotions but will also


give you the tools to foster the emotional intelligence of
your clients, students or employees.


3 Emotional Intelligence Exercises (PDF)
This Article Contains
 Can E.I. Be Learned?

 Can Emotional Intelligence Be Taught and Developed?

 How Do We Develop Emotional Intelligence?

 5 Ways To Develop Emotional Intelligence

 What Is Emotional Intelligence Training?

 Workplace Implications of Emotional Intelligence

Training

 Online Workshops and Coaching Programs for EQ

 4 Exercises for Emotional Intelligence

 5 Activities to Develop Emotional Intelligence (inc.

Group Activities)

 Emotional Intelligence Courses and Certification

 Emotional Intelligence Workbooks

 The Role of Reflection and Practice

 Training Strategies to Improve Emotional Intelligence

 Mindfulness Practice in EQ Training

 TED Talks and Videos on E.I. Training

 A Take-Home Message

 References

Can E.I. Be Learned?


 “Our emotions have a mind of their own, one which
can hold views quite independently of our rational



mind.”

3 Emotional Intelligence Exercises (PDF)

Daniel Goleman (1995, p. 20)

Research suggests that people with average or below

average E.Q. can do just as well as others by learning it. The
only thing needed is the motivation to learn and the
intention to apply it in real life.

Emotional Intelligence can be gained and improved at any

point in life (Goleman, 2014). Learning emotional
intelligence skills needs a resourceful environment where
we can picture the areas, or the aspects of E.I. that we
should focus on, and seek expert advice on how to do so.

4 Stages of Learning Emotional Intelligence

1. Insight

Any learning starts when we are aware that there is

something in us that needs to be changed or improved, and
we are ready to make those changes happen. Emotional
intelligence has five components in it:

Self-awareness – the knowledge of what we feel and

why we feel so

Self-regulation – the ability to express our feelings

in the right way

Motivation – the internal drive to change the way we

feel and express

Empathy – the ability to relate to others’ emotions

and see the world from their perspective

Social skills – the power to communicate effectively

and build strong connections at home or in the 
 workplace.

Learning E.I. starts with gaining insight into which aspect of


E.I. we should work on. Some of us may have solid social
3 Emotional Intelligence Exercises (PDF)
skills but lack in self-regulation while others may be high on
motivation but poor in self-regulation. The learning process
begins with the knowledge of which aspect of E.I. to
develop first.

2. Assessment

The next step is attempting to measure where we stand on

each of the E.I aspects. E.I. tests are widely available online,
or if you are seeking training in a professional setup, there
will be materials provided to you for assessing your
emotional intelligence.

Here are a few assessments and emotional intelligence tests

that we can take for evaluating our E.I. The scores in each
of them are indicative of whether or not we need to learn
emotional skills, and where do we practically stand as an
emotionally aware human being.

More on E.I. assessments and resources in the upcoming

sections.

3. Training

Assessment opens us to a range of options to choose from.

Depending on what part of emotional intelligence we need
to work on, we can decide what sort of training would suit
us the best. For example, a low score in motivational and
social communication aspects can be improved by
organizational training.

Many professional sectors offer E.I. courses and workshops

for employees who are keen to build their interpersonal
skills.

E.I. training improves: 

  Communication skills and the power to comprehend
nonverbal cues of interaction (for example body


language, facial expression, the tone of words, etc.)
3 Emotional Intelligence Exercises (PDF)
 Group performance, especially at the workplace and
maintaining a high team spirit

 Organizational skills – and managing schedules more

efficiently

 Work motivation and the power to accept feedback

and criticism positively

 Leadership skills

4. Application

The final and the most critical stage of learning emotional

intelligence is incorporating the chalk talk in real life. The
exercise and self-help activities that structure E.I. courses
are productive only when we can implement in real-life
situations.

The skills and techniques that these learning modules

impart to us can be used in:

 Interacting with people at personal and professional

levels

 Understanding and labeling our own emotions

 Expressing what we feel in a way that will not upset

others

 Understanding others’ feelings and listen to them

without judgment

Can Emotional Intelligence Be

Taught and Developed?


Teaching emotional intelligence to individuals not only
builds their emotional skills, but it also sustains the


education over several years (Nelis, Quoidbach,
Mikolajczak, & Hansenne,
3 Emotional Intelligence 2009).(PDF)
Exercises

Delphine Nelis, a cognitive psychologist, established her

fact in an experiment with 40 college students. She divided
the sample population into two groups and provided a
four-week E.I. training to only one of the groups.

Findings from her study indicated that the group that

received the practice not only showed marked
improvement in their emotional abilities, but they also
continued to manifest the same even after six months of
the experiment.

Although this was a small scale pilot study to understand

the influence of emotional intelligence training, the results
were quite significant and suggested the possible long-term
effects of education on E.I.

Although Delphine Nelis initiated this pilot study, now you

can also become an Emotional Intelligence Expert and
teach others by enrolling in our highly acclaimed Emotional
Intelligence Masterclass©. This is the best way to help
others understand and use their emotions in life-enriching
ways.


 
3 Emotional Intelligence Exercises (PDF)

Download 3 Free Emotional

Intelligence Exercises (PDF)
These detailed, science-based exercises will help you or
your clients understand and use emotions
advantageously.

Download PDF

How Do We Develop Emotional

Intelligence?
 “If you are tuned out of your own emotions, you
will be poor at reading them in other people.”

Daniel Goleman

Emotional Intelligence includes skills like self-motivation,

emotional regulation, self-management, empathy and

impulse control (Goleman, 1995). It has been an enthralling
area for mental health professionals for over 25 years now.


The reason why IQ is independent of EQ is that EQ
3 Emotional Intelligence Exercises (PDF)
continues to improve and enhance over a lifetime, so it is
never too late to start learning about Emotional
Intelligence.

E.Q. and I.Q.


 Intelligence
Emotional Quotient Quotient


Characteristics Empathy, good Logical,
3 Emotional Intelligence Exercises (PDF)
interpersonal analytical mind,
relationships, reasoning
survival skills, ability abilities,
to control impulses, abstract
thoughtful, sensitive thinking,
problem-solving
abilities

Suitable High E.Q. are People with

professions suitable for teams high I.Q are
and managerial great at
responsibilities, Mathematical
individual business, jobs, software
social works, and web
working with non- development,
profit organizations linguistics,
for humanitarian programming
causes, counseling, jobs
human resource
jobs

Assessments 1. Mayer-Salovey- 1. Stanford-

Caruso Test Binet
2. Daniel Goleman Intelligence
Model Test Scale
3. Emotional 2. Wechsler
Quotient Inventory Intelligence
Scale For Adults
and Children

5 Ways To Develop Emotional

Intelligence

Developing emotional intelligence implies developing a
cluster of innate qualities that help us in enhancing our


mental wellbeing on a day-to-day basis. Here are five simple
ways that we
3 Emotional can followExercises
Intelligence besides (PDF)
professional E.I. training to
develop our affective awareness optimally.

1. Identifying The Negative Emotions

A large chunk of emotional intelligence lies in emotional

management. How well we manipulate our feelings and
efficiently use them makes us more resilient and immune to
stress. When we can label the emotions that bring us down,
we are less likely to get overwhelmed by external
adversities and exhaust our mental energy.

Wondering where to start? Here are some easy tricks that

will make the task easier:

 When someone upsets you or uses harsh words, don’t

react immediately. Withdraw yourself from the heated
situation and take some time to gather your thoughts
and ‘choose’ your responses wisely.

 Do not jump to conclusions. Check yourself the

moment negative thoughts start clouding up.

 In a time of distress, especially interpersonal

conflicts, spare some moments to look into the
matter from the other person’s perspective. Try to get
in his/her shoes and understand what made the
person behave that way. Notice how your attitude
changes the moment you start empathizing.

2. Self-Evaluation

Before observing and understanding others, watch yourself.

To develop E.I., we must learn to assess ourselves
objectively and look into our actions from a bird’s eye view.

Challenge your thoughts by regularly asking yourself
questions like:


 Am I thinking the right way?
3 Emotional Intelligence Exercises (PDF)

 Should I have used those words today?

 How would I have reacted if I were in his/her place?

 Is there another way of looking into the matter?

 Am I on the right track?

 Is my family happy with me?

Frequent encounters with the self enhance perception,

creates humility, together which contribute to building E.I.

3. Self-Expression

Self-expression and emotional intelligence go hand in hand.

Without one, we cannot build the other.

People who can identify and express their thoughts

effectively and in a more socially acceptable way usually are
high on emotional intelligence and self-efficacy (Mayer &
Geher, 1996).

Self-expression means focusing on stronger and better

communication with others, conveying our thoughts
naturally and understandably, and attending to a solution
with communication. If we can choose the right way to tell
others how we feel and why we feel that way, we are
already more solution-focused and self-regulated.

4. Stress Management

Recent studies have indicated that people with emotional

clarity and awareness are better at handling stress than
others. Especially in the workplace, stress and burnout

causes a marked degradation in our overall emotional
capabilities and influence the way we respond to them.


People who achieve tremendous success in their
3 Emotional Intelligence Exercises (PDF)
professional lives do not get it only because they are good
at the job, a lot of the success is the byproduct of their
emotional and self-awareness (Schuler, Dowling, & De Cieri,
1993).

Prolonged exposure to stress without efficient coping

strategies can open us to a plethora of mental health
problems.

The most helpful stress reduction method is by consciously

using our senses and staying close to nature (Leelavati &
Chalam, 2020).

Simple stress management techniques like the following can

also make a significant difference in dealing with hardships
without getting drained:

 Splash cold water on your face after a stressful

encounter and get back to work after that. Cool
conditions usually help in reducing the anxiety levels
and give a feeling of freshness.

 Avoid caffeine and smoke during hard times. Though

people resort to these substances more during stress,
it is best to avoid such stimulants when you feel
nervous.

 Take a break from work when the job stress takes a

toll on your mental and emotional wellbeing. Go out
with your family and spend some quality time to
regain insight and come back to combat stress more
effectively.

5. Empathy As A Daily Habit


Empathy is the power to see the world with others’ eyes.

It is an essential aspect of any mental health-related area of


research (Larson & Yao, 2005). Relating to others’ thoughts
3 Emotional Intelligence Exercises (PDF)
and understanding what might have influenced them to
behave in that way is a significant milestone in emotional
development (Reynolds & Herman, 1994).

Empathy begins at home. Random acts of kindness like a

thank you note, a little help to offer, or an open heart-to-
heart conversation is all that takes to set foot towards an
empathetic life.

Even at the workplace, listening to a colleague without

judging, or accepting harsh words from someone
undergoing stress, can significantly build our emotional and
social intelligence, thereby strengthening interpersonal
bonds.

Tips to Improve Emotional Intelligence

What Is Emotional Intelligence

Training?
“It is very important to understand that emotional
 intelligence is not the opposite of intelligence, it is
not the triumph of heart over the head – it is the
unique intersection of both.”

David Caruso 
Emotional intelligence is a fruitful impetus to a successful
career and leadership role. Gill Hasson, in his book


“Emotional Intelligence: Managing Emotions to Make a
Positive Impact
3 Emotional on YourExercises
Intelligence Life and(PDF)
Career” (2014) has indicated
how emotional intelligence has helped professionals at
different levels to move up the ladder and sustain their
success over time.

Emotional Intelligence Training is a set of practical

knowledge and skills that help individuals to become fluent
in understanding the language of emotions.

The training aims at developing:

 Self-motivation

 Productivity

 Commitment to profession

 Confidence and flexibility

 Empathy

 Communication skills

 Long lasting and strong interpersonal relationships –

personal and professional

 Self-awareness and self-control

Professional emotional intelligence training programs help

in improving our existing emotional skills by:

 Modeling the right emotional skills to the participants

 Assisting the participants to understand and apply the

techniques in their real lives

 Helping leaders and professionals reflect their

emotional intelligence on their team


  Helping participants identify the belief system that
might be interfering with their effectiveness


 Exposing the participants to other ways of thinking
3 Emotional Intelligence Exercises (PDF)
and reacting to a situation

 Challenging the participants to create and implement

new strategies of understanding and dealing with
others at a professional level

 Encouraging leaders to provide feedback and positive

reinforcement to his/her team and comprehend the
happiness of the teammates

 Measuring the results of the training provided

through self-assessment or other ‘in-vivo’ approaches

 Appreciating and acknowledging the efforts given by

the participants to build their emotional intelligence
at work.

FREE PERSONALIZED RESOURCE FOR YOU - TAKE THE QUIZ


 
3 Emotional Intelligence Exercises (PDF)

What’s your next step in

helping others create positive
change?
Take the quiz, and receive a FREE
personalized resource to help you
on your journey toward greater
impact.

Workplace Implications of
Emotional Intelligence Training
“CEOs are hired for their intellect and business
expertise – and fired for a lack of emotional


intelligence.”

Daniel Goleman (1995, p. 16)

Recent studies have suggested that most organizations that

hire managers today base their selection on how aware the
person is, emotionally. Intellectual assessments come after
that (CareerBuilder, 2011).

Whether it is dealing with clients and financers, serving the

customer care area, teaching, or helping the people in
general, unless we can establish a connection with the 
people across the table, we cannot yield the maximum
results. Emotional Intelligence Training at the workplace is


gaining immense popularity now.
3 Emotional Intelligence Exercises (PDF)
Through valuable resources, manuals, and practical
assessments, professional E.I. training aims at:

1. Helping participants communicate effectively with

their colleagues, superiors, and subordinates
2. Motivating them to perform as a group and build a
great team spirit within the organization
3. Making new business connections and maximizing
financial goals
4. Helping them evaluate their progress and providing
the scope to improve their existing skills
5. Building a high-performance work culture where
employees are high on self-motivation and can
manage their emotions efficiently
6. Promoting good leadership and managerial skills by
being emotionally aware and mindful at work.

Online Workshops and Coaching

Programs for EQ
1. Emotional Intelligence Masterclass©


The Emotional
Intelligence


Masterclass© is a
complete,
3 Emotional6-module
Intelligence Exercises (PDF)
emotional
intelligence training
template for helping professionals.

Compiled and offered by psychologist and researcher Dr.

Hugo Alberts (Ph.D.) who has been exploring the scientific
side of positive psychology for the past 10 years, you can
master the 6 pillars of emotional intelligence.

If helping others to improve their lives is your passion in

life, this masterclass will provide you with all the tools,
materials and knowledge to make an impactful difference.

The masterclass includes the following modules:

Module 1 – Emotions

In this module, you will learn what emotions are. Why and
how do they seem to involve many different physical and
mental processes at the same time?

Module 2 – Emotional Intelligence

Over the past 20 years, emotional intelligence (EI) has

become a popular construct in the field of psychology and
beyond. But what is EI exactly?

Module 3 – Emotional Awareness

Emotional awareness is a fundamental skill to emotional

intelligence. In short, it is the ability to answer the
question: How am I feeling right now?

Module 4 – Beliefs About Emotions

In this module, we will discuss the beliefs about emotions

that operate outside conscious awareness, and strongly

determine the relationship people have with their
emotions.


Module 5 – Emotional Knowledge
3 Emotional Intelligence Exercises (PDF)
When emotions and rationality are combined, they start to
function as data; they reveal information about two
important motivators of behavior: needs and values.

Module 6 – Emotional Expression

Emotional expression refers to the ability to name and

express what is happening emotionally. Emotionally
intelligent people are skilled at expressing their emotions.

2. The Emotional Intelligence Institute

The E.I. Institute in Western Australia provides valuable

online emotional intelligence coaching and masterclasses
for business owners, managers, supervisors, team leaders,
and employees at other levels.

Their online programs focus on:

 Emotional Intelligence and practical methods to

regulate emotions

 Change management at the workplace

 Learning and developing leadership skills

 Positive psychology at work

 Presentation skills for public speaking and feedback

management

The online coaching programs offered by the E.I. Institute

are conducted at three levels:

1. The Foundation Level

Anyone, from anywhere, can participate in the Foundation

Level Tele-Classes to get introduced to the basics of E.I. 
and the practical implications of it in professional and
personal lives.


2. The Specialist Level
3 Emotional Intelligence Exercises (PDF)
The workshops organized at the specialist level is designed
to profit specific professions like human resource, real
estate, government officials, and telecommunications.

3. The Leadership Level

The leadership workshops and training are highly equipped

and designed to benefit people working as CEOs, CFOs,
trustees, and other senior leadership designations in
leading industries.

3. Foundation Skills On Emotional Intelligence

The Foundational Skills On Emotional Intelligence is a 24-

week online course targeted at individual emotional skills
improvement. The course offers a flexible schedule and
benefits individuals of more or less all ages and
occupations.

4. Emotional Intelligence Coaching Certification

Conducted by the Key Step Media, the Emotional

Intelligence Online Coaching is an in-depth program that
aims to improve the five aspects of E.I. as Goleman had
pointed – self-awareness, emotional regulation, self-
expression, adaptability, and focus. This course is suitable
for individuals who want to extend their services as a
passionate E.I. coach.

5. E.I. Coaching By Wendy Jocum

Wendy Jocum is an accredited emotional intelligence coach

and test administrator. In her workshops on emotional
intelligence, she trains participants to identify their


emotions, challenge the negative emotions, and change
them for professional and personal wellbeing.


The workshops she conducts are well-designed and
3 Emotional Intelligence Exercises (PDF)
involves psychometric assessments conducted individually
as well as in groups.

 DOMAINS OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

Emotional intelligence consists of a set of skills that

contribute to the appraisal of emotions in oneself and
others. Developing emotional intelligence skills can help
navigate all kinds of social interactions by
understanding the feelings behind cues and signals from
others (Salovey & Mayer, 1990).


 



3 Emotional Intelligence Exercises (PDF)

4 Exercises for Emotional

Intelligence
1. Self-Awareness Exercise

Start building self-awareness by recollecting the emotions

you felt throughout the day. List your feelings and try to
name them, this will help you know yourself better. Once all
the emotions are there as words, start analyzing them.

How many positive and negative emotions can you see?

Which are the ones that have affected you the most today?

What caused these emotions? You need not act on them or
judge what is right and wrong here. Just focus on observing


each feeling and write them down honestly.
3 Emotional Intelligence Exercises (PDF)
Negative
Positive Emotions –
Emotions – sad, upset,
happy, proud, Why angry, Why
satisfied, did I depressed, did I
cheerful, feel lonely, feel
Day enthusiastic, etc. so? insecure, etc. so?

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

Sun

2. The Trust Thermometer

The trust thermometer is an exciting group activity that

fosters interpersonal trust. The exercise involves
participants to line up against a wall and step forward as
they respond. Several real-life situations are given to the
respondents, and they are asked to make moves according
to the level of trust they think they have in each case.

Conditions may include:

 A friend borrowing money

 A friend blindfolding you and taking to unknown place


  Having lunch with unknown people

No move, or standing against the wall would mean the


person has no trust in the situation and the individual/s
3 Emotional Intelligence Exercises (PDF)
involved in it. Taking 4 or 5 large steps forward would
likewise imply that the person has complete trust in the
circumstance given to him.

3. The Self-Expression Exercise

This exercise was initially conducted in a classroom

situation with students but can be effectively incorporated
in other forms too. The task involves the following steps:

 List good and bad emotions on the board.

 Call the participants one by one and ask them ‘How

are you feeling?’.

 If the participants give flat answers like ‘fine’, go ahead

asking them what makes them feel ‘fine’.

 Ask them to name how they are feeling right now and
highlight those emotions on the board.

 At the end of the session, allow some time for the

participants to discuss feelings with each other.

Discussing things like why we say we are fine even at times

when we don’t feel so good or what makes us ask another
person about his/her feelings lets the participants gain
clarity on the power of emotions and self-expression.

4. Leadership Toolkit For Emotional Intelligence

The Leadership Toolkit is a specialized handbook designed

for professionals working in leading positions. There are 50
questions in the assessment that are answered on a 5-point
scale, and the scores evaluate E.I. on the five dimensions –


self-awareness, emotional regulation, self-motivation,
empathy, and social skills.


Find more exercises here: 13 Emotional Intelligence
3 Emotional Intelligence Exercises (PDF)
Exercises, Activities & Worksheets

5 Activities to Develop
Emotional Intelligence (inc.
Group Activities)
Self-Awareness For Leaders

As a leader, actions matter more than words. This exercise

is for leaders and supervisors who manage large teams in
the workplace.

It is best when practiced in a group, for example, in stand

up meetings or orientation programs is an excellent
indicator for evaluating the group thinking.


 Self-Awareness Group Exercise Fo

Ask your employees/teammates the following questions a


responses on paper:
3 Emotional Intelligence Exercises (PDF)

What do you think is missing from our team?

______________________________________

How do you think I view your contribution to the team?

______________________________________

Do you think you are important in this group?

______________________________________

As a leader/manager/supervisor what do you think I have

______________________________________

How have I made you feel part of the group?

______________________________________

Once all the participants have recorded their answers,

encourage them to share their opinions and listen to each
other actively. Make the session as interactive as you can.
Practice this exercise once a month or a fortnight to
enhance self-awareness as the leader of the group.

The Mastery Of Vision

One of the most critical components of emotional

intelligence is self-motivation and competence. The
mastery of vision exercise is a rehearsal process that
strengthens the power of visualizing success and rebuilds
focus to act on the goals systematically.

This exercise can be conducted individually or as a group

and involves the following questions. The questions are
subjective, self-evaluative, and there are no right or wrong
answers here.

 The Mastery Of Vision Exer

Imagine yourself in your dream job, in the designation yo


3 Emotional Intelligence Exercises (PDF)
See yourself as an expert of the job and ask yourself the f

a) I will contribute to the organizational success in the fol

______________________________________

b) I will use the following strategies to keep my team happ

______________________________________

c) I will reward my employees/teammates in the following

______________________________________

d) Working in my dream role, I would like to build myself

______________________________________

e) If I get to serve the role, these are the goals that I wish
year/month/week
______________________________________

Go through your responses and try to analyze if you can

Keep the test as a reference and conduct it once or twice
with your goals.

Self-Expression Group Activity

Mastering over our emotions and the way we choose to

express them constitutes a large portion of emotional and
social intelligence. This exercise is a mood map that lets the
participant evaluate his/her emotions and explore the
causal factors of it.

The training is conducted in pairs where one person asks a

set of questions to his/her partner and allows the partner
to explain himself/herself. It is a great way to gain clarity of
self-expression in a social set-up.

 Self-expression Group Acti

Participate in pairs and take turns to answer each questio


responding, make sure you convey what you feel and esta
3 Emotional Intelligence Exercises (PDF)
listener.

a) When was the last time you felt happy at work? Why di
express your happiness?
______________________________________

b) When was the last time you failed at work? How did it a
______________________________________

c) Do you get angry at work? What do you do when you a

______________________________________

d) Think about a time when your team performed well. Ho

responsible for your team’s success?
______________________________________

e) What disappoints you the most at work? How do you d

outside of work?
______________________________________

Self-Management Exercises For Building E.I.

1. Breath control

A 2-minute breathing exercise every day can reduce stress

and burnout caused due to work. (Salyers et al., 2011). By
consciously focusing on our breaths, taking deep breaths
especially during stressful situations can instantly calm the
mind and help us think right.

2. Stress management

Here are some simple hacks for immediate stress reduction:

 Journal your thoughts every day. Write down

everything that you cannot express or share with 
 others. Let the negative emotions get a vent.

 Count to 10 before reacting or responding to conflict.


Stay away
3Emotional from arguments
Intelligence as much as you can.
Exercises (PDF)

 Avoid confrontation if you cannot manage your

emotions. Use phone or email to communicate.

 Share your problems with someone close to gain a

broader perspective on the matter.

3. Cognitive Reconstruction

To gain a better understanding of any situation, try to alter

your thinking. Whenever you feel angry, sad, or
disappointed, ask yourself:

 Can there be a different way of looking into the

matter?

 Is there a lesson that I learned from this experience?

 Could there be any other way of reacting to the

situation?

 If this happens again, will I react in the same way?

 How would I have felt if I was in his/her position?

4. Problem-solving Checklist

Perhaps one of the most realistic and practical self-

assessments for managing and regulating emotional
awareness. Make a weekly chart with all the issues that you
need to resolve within the week – including your personal
and professional setbacks.

Set aside 5-10 minutes every day where you come back to
the problem list and write down the ways that you can
resolve each of them. As you successfully solve one
problem, strike it off the checklist and proceed from there.
A sample checklist can look something like this. 
 How they
are Strategies


impacting to solve Resolved Unresolve
3Problems
Emotional Intelligence
my life Exercises
them (PDF)(√) (✕)

——– ——– ——– ——– ——–

Relationship Management

Emotional intelligence enhances with the power of building

and sustaining long-term relationships at home and work
(Gardner & Stough, 2002).

Managing relationships is not an objective, step-by-step

method. We need to feel the emotions and find the perfect
balance between holding and letting go. Here are some
simple practices to help you build your relationships at
personal and professional standards:

 Show your feelings – communicate and express your

emotions in the right way. Whether it is love, anger,
or disappointment, express through clear
communication. Bottling up feelings, besides ruining
the relationship, also results in them coming out in
worse ways later.

 The little things matter – do not hesitate to say ‘thank

you’, ‘sorry’, or ‘please’. It might mean a lot to someone
and help in growing the bond you share with that
person.

 Explain – When facing a conflict with someone close,

remember to explain your actions and decisions.
Communicate to resolve the conflict, not to aggravate
it.

 Handle tough conversations – Look into things from

others’ perspective and put yourself in their shoes. In

 stressful situations, let others express their opinions.
Listen actively, do not judge or jump to conclusions.


Accept if you are wrong and agree to disagree. Make
sure you
3 Emotional end the Exercises
Intelligence conversation
(PDF)on a positive note.

Emotional Intelligence Courses

and Certification
The SkillSoft Emotional Intelligence Training

Skillsoft, an online business training platform conducts a

series of Emotional Intelligence Training courses which are
targeted to benefit business professionals and management
personnel. The training focuses on building self-
management and emotional regulation by tuning in to our
feelings.

The specific courses that they offer include:

 Understanding Emotional Intelligence in leadership

 Emotional Intelligence Quotient (E.Q.) building course

 Emotional Intelligence in the workplace

 Self-management through emotional intelligence

 Practical applications of emotional intelligence at

work

 Emotional management and E.I.

The High Performing Systems (HPS)

HPS is a US-based organization well-known for its online

certifications and training resources on emotional
intelligence. The HPS has a separate branch dedicated to
emotional intelligence courses. Pieces of training are
conducted under the supervision of Dr. Henry L.
Thompson, Ph.D. and founder of the HPS. 
The E.I. training provided includes:

1. The EQ-i 2.0 Certification – A standard self-report


measure for evaluating emotional intelligence.
3 Emotional Intelligence Exercises (PDF)
2. The MSCEIT Certification – An online certification that
provides online training on the administration of the
Mayer Salovey Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test,
that evaluated our capacity for emotional reasoning.
This certification is ideal for professionals who aim to
make a better impression to supervisors and clients.
3. The TESI Certification – The Team Emotional and
Social Intelligence Survey Certification is a group
training where each member is required to rate the
team on seven TESI dimensions. The training helps in
building emotional identity, awareness,
communication, and stress resilience at work.

Emotional Intelligence 2-Days Course

An Australia-based leadership-oriented training, this course

focuses on:

 Defining E.I.

 Explaining the role of E.I. at work

 Exploring the causes of failure

 Building intrapersonal and interpersonal skills

 Strategies for building E.I. skills

 The power of motivating others positively

 Business networking and client management

The assessments include EIQ16 Questionnaire which

measures our ability to accurately perceive, use, and
facilitate emotions to understand and manage actions.


Emotional Intelligence
Workbooks


3
1.Emotional Intelligence
The Emotional Exercises (PDF)
Intelligence Workbook – Jill
and Derek Dann

Authors Jill Dann and Derek

Dann have provided a
practical step-by-step guide
to gaining insight into our
internal and external world in
this work.

The workbook comes as a

compilation of cutting-edge
explanations coupled with scientific assessments and a
practical style of learning.

Find the book on Amazon.

2. The Emotional Intelligence Workbook by Paul

Gerhardt

This book was published in

early 2015 and focus on
building emotional
intelligence through a
progressive and systematic
approach.

Find the book on Amazon.


3. Mini Emotional Intelligence Test and
Workbook


A more or less all-in-one collection for emotional
3 Emotional Intelligence Exercises (PDF)
intelligence tests and activities, the Mini EI Workbook was
developed by the Ghyst & Associates and Brent Darnell
International, a one-stop destination for online courses and
training resources.

The workbook takes us through the different aspects of E.I

and personality and helps us deeply internalize the ‘what’,
‘why’ and ‘how’ of our emotions.

For more books on EI, see: 26 Best Emotional Intelligence

Books

The Role of Reflection and

Practice
Self-reflection is vital for any education or training as it
provides support, promotes discipline, and retains the
knowledge that is learned (Green, 2001). Reflective practice
in building emotional intelligence refers to the ability to pay
continuous attention to the practical application of
theoretical evidence and knowledge.

Research has shown that repeating the skills that we

acquire in any learning situation gives us the opportunity to
challenge our limits and face real-life challenges better
(Farrell, 2007; Lee, 2005).

Reflection is values put into action. Self-reflection is vital

for building emotional intelligence because:

 It helps us know ourselves better

 It lets us resonate our thoughts on others and vice

versa

  It empowers us to support others to build their
emotional awareness


 It drives us closer to solutions and to become more
3 Emotional Intelligence Exercises (PDF)
proactive in choosing the right actions.

Training Strategies to Improve

Emotional Intelligence
E.I. training strategies are successfully implemented across
sectors like education, mental health and disability, project
management, and leadership (Zijlmans, Embregts, Gerits,
Bosman, & Derksen, 2011). Karima Mariama-Arthur, in one
of her articles on emotional intelligence training that was
published in 2015, mentioned about five strategies that aid
emotional intelligence training.

Although her article was primarily leadership-oriented, the

plan can be useful for all E.I. training methods.

The programs are based on Goleman’s (2004) five domains

of E.Q. that include:

1. Emotional Awareness – paying more attention to our

inner thoughts and feelings, naming the good and bad
emotions, and consciously accepting to change them.
2. Self-Motivation – looking beyond the immediate
difficulties and pushing the self to actively execute
plans and accomplish goals.
3. Empathy – immersing ourselves entirely into the mind
of others, thinking what they think, feeling what they
feel, and understanding the world from a different
perspective. Undoubtedly, one of the most robust and
highest forms of evolving as an emotionally intelligent
being.
4. Relationship Management – involving active listening,
effective communication, decision-making, conflict

management, and coping strategies.
 5. Effective Communication – incorporating training
methods for understanding nonverbal cues of


communication like body language and facial
expressions,
3 Emotional better
Intelligence ways of(PDF)
Exercises expressing one’s feelings
and the appropriate means of communicating in
different situations.

Mindfulness Practice in EQ
Training
 “Every morning we are born again. What we do
today, is what matters the most.”

Emotional Intelligence lies in gaining awareness, in

becoming consciously present in the ‘now’ and taking the
full charge of our actions. Mindfulness creates the
framework of emotional enlightenment. Mindfulness
practices help us enact on the behavioral changes that we
need for building our E.I.

Mindfulness in emotional training includes:

1. Accepting and adapting to change

Easy mindful practices like thought counting, word

watching, or myth busting can help in gaining awareness
into our problems and accepting that we need to change
ourselves to be happier in life.

2. Building a growth mindset

A growth mindset is where we feel safe to try new things

and do not fear failure. A growth mindset is fostered
through mindfulness programs at the workplace.


 Building Growth Mindset Through Mindfulness

Instead Of Telling


Yourself… Try Reminding Yourself…
3 Emotional Intelligence Exercises (PDF)

1. I can’t do this 1. I can at least give it a try

2. I quit 2. I should give myself

another chance

3. I can’t help it 3. I should talk to the team

leader about this

4. I don’t deserve this 4. Did I try my best?

5. Everyone can do this 5. I can go and learn from

except me them

6. I might make a 6. If I make a mistake, I will

mistake, so I won’t try to use the lesson and not
attempt giving it a try repeat it again

3. Gauging the outcome of actions

Mindfulness promotes self-evaluation and self-awareness.

Individuals who attend individual or group mindfulness
sessions are more keen to know their mistakes and ready to
rectify them. They gain emotional awareness through
curiosity and the desire to change.

4. Noticing our own reactions by staying more

aware in the present

Mindfulness practices act as a mirror. They let us see our

actions and identify the emotional triggers – what caused
the adrenaline rush? Why did we behave the way we did?
How do we feel about it?

By letting in these introspections, mindfulness takes us

through self -management and emotional regulation – the

two most important pillars of emotional intelligence.


3 Emotional Intelligence Exercises (PDF)

17 Exercises To Develop
Emotional Intelligence
These 17 Emotional Intelligence Exercises [PDF] will
help others strengthen their relationships, lower stress,
and enhance their wellbeing through improved EQ.

Created by Experts. 100% Science-based.

Download Now

TED Talks and Videos on E.I.

Training


 6 STEPS TO IMPROVE YOUR EMOTIONAL

INTELLIGENCE - RAMONA HACKER


3 Emotional Intelligence Exercises (PDF)
Hacker | TEDxTUM

WHAT IS EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE? - THE


SCHOOL OF LIFE

DANIEL GOLEMAN INTRODUCES EMOTIONAL


INTELLIGENCE - BIG THINK

Daniel Goleman Introduces Emotional Intelligence | Big 

Thi k
 Think


3 Emotional Intelligence Exercises (PDF)

THE PEOPLE CURRENCY: PRACTICING EMOTIONAL


INTELLIGENCE

Jason Bridges | TEDxWabashCollege

EMOTIONAL MASTERY: THE GIFTED WISDOM OF


UNPLEASANT FEELINGS

Feelings | Dr Joan Rosenberg | TEDxSantaBarbara


 WORKSHOPS ON 'EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE'

WITH RAJESHWAR UPADHYAYA


3 Emotional
UpadhyayaIntelligence Exercises (PDF)

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE POWERPOINT


CONTENT - READY SET PRESENT

A Take-Home Message
 “When emotional intelligence merges with spiritual
intelligence, human nature is transformed!”

Emotional Intelligence is the sum of balance, expression,

and rational thinking. It gives us the chance to advance as a
human and prosper as a leader. Building E.I. is continuous
and progressive – we need to put efforts consistently and
seek for reaching our goals.

Remember, the secret to being emotionally aware lies in
finding the weakness, turning them into strengths, and


repeating the process until we master it.
3 Emotional Intelligence Exercises (PDF)
For further reading:

 Is Emotional Intelligence Relevant for Kids? (Games,

Cartoons + Toys)

 The Emotion Wheel: What is It and How to Use it?

[+PDF]

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to

download our three Emotional Intelligence Exercises for
free.

 REFERENCES 

Beldoch, M. (1964). Sensitivity to expression of

emotional meaning in three modes of communication.
In J.R. Davitz (Ed.), The communication of emotional
meaning (pp. 31-42). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

CareerBuilders. (2011, August 18). Seventy-one percent

of employers say they value emotional intelligence
over IQ, according to CareerBuilder Survey [Press
release]. Retrieved from
https://www.careerbuilder.ca/share/aboutus/pressre
leasesdetail.aspx

Farrell, T. S. (2007). Reflective language teaching: From

research to practice. New York, NY: Bloomsbury
Publishing.

Gardner, L., & Stough, C. (2002). Examining the

relationship between leadership and emotional
intelligence in senior level managers. Leadership &
Organization Development Journal, 23(2), 68-78.
https://doi.org/10.1108/01437730210419198 
 Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional intelligence: Why it can
matter more than IQ. New York, NY: Bantam Books.


Goleman, D. (2004, January). What makes a leader?
3 Emotional Intelligence Exercises (PDF)
Harvard Business Review Magazine. Retrieved from
https://hbr.org/2004/01/what-makes-a-leader

Goleman, D. (2014). Liderazgo. El poder de la

inteligencia emocional. Barcelona, Spain: B de books.

Green, M. (2001). Successful tutoring: Good practice

for managers and tutors. London, UK: Learning and
Skills Development Agency.

Hasson, G. (2014). Emotional intelligence: Managing

emotions to make a positive impact on your life and
career. West Sussex, UK: John Wiley & Sons.

Larson, E. B., & Yao, X. (2005). Clinical empathy as

emotional labor in the patient-physician relationship.
Jama, 293(9), 1100-1106.
https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.293.9.1100

Lee, H. J. (2005). Understanding and assessing

preservice teachers’ reflective thinking. Teaching and
Teacher Education, 21(6), 699-715.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2005.05.007

Leelavati, T. S., & Chalam, G. V. (2020). Can emotional

intelligence be developed? International Journal of
Multidisciplinary Educational Research, 9(7), 104-109.

Mariama-Arthur, K. (2015, March 12). 5 Reasons to beef

up your emotional intelligence. Success. Retrieved
from https://www.success.com/5-reasons-to-beef-
up-your-emotional-intelligence/

Mayer, J. D., & Geher, G. (1996). Emotional intelligence

and the identification of emotion. Intelligence, 22(2),
89-113. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0160-2896(96)90011-2

 Nelis, D., Quoidbach, J., Mikolajczak, M., & Hansenne,
M. (2009). Increasing emotional intelligence: (How) is


it possible? Personality and Individual Differences,
47(1), 36-41.
3 Emotional https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2009.01.046
Intelligence Exercises (PDF)

Reynolds, L. T., & Herman, N. J. (Eds.). (1994). Symbolic

interaction: An introduction to social psychology. New
York, NY: General Hall.

Salovey, P., & Mayer, J. D. (1990). Emotional

intelligence. Imagination, Cognition and Personality,
9(3), 185-211. https://doi.org/10.2190/DUGG-P24E-
52WK-6CDG

Salyers, M. P., Hudson, C., Morse, G., Rollins, A. L.,

Monroe-DeVita, M., Wilson, C., & Freeland, L. (2011).
BREATHE: A pilot study of a one-day retreat to
reduce burnout among mental health professionals.
Psychiatric Services, 62(2), 214-217.
https://doi.org/10.1176/ps.62.2.pss6202_0214

Schuler, R. S., Dowling, P. J., & De Cieri, H. (1993). An

integrative framework of strategic international
human resource management. Journal of
Management, 19(2), 419-459.
https://doi.org/10.1016/0149-2063(93)90059-V

Zijlmans, L. J. M., Embregts, P. J. C. M., Gerits, L.,

Bosman, A. M. T., & Derksen, J. J. L. (2011). Training
emotional intelligence related to treatment skills of
staff working with clients with intellectual disabilities
and challenging behaviour. Journal of Intellectual
Disability Research, 55(2), 219-230.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2788.2010.01367.x

 ABOUT THE AUTHOR


 
3 Emotional Intelligence Exercises (PDF)

Madhuleena Roy Chowdhury holds a postgrad in clinical

psychology and is a certified psychiatric counselor. She
specialized in optimizing mental health and is an experienced
teacher and school counselor. She loves to help others
through her work as a researcher, writer, and blogger and
reach as many as possible.

 HOW USEFUL WAS THIS ARTICLE TO YOU?

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 COMMENTS

What our readers think

Vaishali on November 18, 2023 at 05:57

Is the EI masterclass available in classroom session?

Reply

Julia Poernbacher on November 19, 2023 at 18:56

Hi Vaishali,

Unfortunately, the EI Masterclass is currently not

available in classroom sessions.

Warm regards,
Julia | Community Manager

Reply 
 Jeanette Færch on October 4, 2023 at 10:37


Hallo!
3 Emotional Intelligence Exercises (PDF)
Thanks u so much for an insightful and inspiring article
about EQ. I am doing work within leadership
development, and want to ask if the tools presented in
the article is free to use for my work, or do u have to seek
promision frem elsewhere? Is it tools u have developed or
is it taking from somewhere else?

Thank u so much.

Best regards
Jeanette

Reply

Julia Poernbacher on October 4, 2023 at 13:10

Hi Jeannette,

If you are referring to the downloadable three free

emotional intelligence exercises, then yes you may
use them without permission. These are tools we
have developed and a sampling of the 500+ exercises
we have in our Toolkit, to which you can subscribe.
The other simpler exercises included in the article
were mostly developed by our writer and you are
welcome to use them.

Hope this helps!

Julia | Community Manager

Reply

Debbie-Ann Gordom on April 3, 2022 at 17:55

Interested in enrolling in a masterclass for E.I

How is this done?

Reply

Nicole Celestine, Ph.D. on April 4, 2022 at 04:43


 Hi Debbie-Ann,

You can learn more about our Emotional Intelligence


Masterclass from our store page. The course is self-
3 Emotionalpaced,
Intelligence
so youExercises
can enroll(PDF)
and make a start at any time.

Hope this helps!

– Nicole | Community Manager

Reply

Real Time Experts training center bangalore on March

13, 2021 at 12:14

This concept is a good way to enhance the knowledge.

thanks for sharing. please keep it up.

Reply

Lalit Khatri on October 20, 2020 at 12:38

i would like to attend training session on EQ.

kindly share the training duration and details

Reply

Nicole Celestine on October 21, 2020 at 03:27

Hi Lalit,

The ideal training session for you will depend on

whether you are interested from an individual
perspective, seeking corporate training, etc. A good
starting point may be to check out these free courses
listed on EQ.org. You may also find something
suitable on Udemy, such as this course.

Hope this helps!

– Nicole | Community Manager

Reply

Cecil Luther on August 20, 2020 at 12:19

This is superb article! Thanks.


I coach students appearing for Civil Services
 Examinations.
Keep up the great work!


Make the world a better place!
3 Emotional
ReplyIntelligence Exercises (PDF)

Larry C. Santos on December 9, 2019 at 09:44

There is a great need to improve EI, not just our technical

skills. In the age of digital revolution we tend to forget to
stay a bit more human.

Reply

E Booysen on April 21, 2019 at 21:05

I want to do a course in EI and want to help kids

developing the skill

Reply

Maria on March 11, 2019 at 16:35

Why do you offer “free” exercises and when I enter my e

mail, you ask for my credit card number. What a shame!

Reply

DR ASHA LOURDES on February 13, 2019 at 06:45

THE ARTICLES ARE JUST SUPERB.KINDLY KEEP

UPDATING ME WITH MANY MORE SUCH ARTICLES.

Reply

Seph Fontane Pennock on February 14, 2019 at

12:36

OK ASHA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SAYING

THAT 😉

Reply

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