Emotional Intelligence in Action: Taking Skills Learned to the Field
“…I try to make them laugh, which always helps! It’s about being positive and continuing to improve.” – Orlando España, Credit Officer in La Ceiba
Last month, our Adelante team partook in a week-long training on Emotional Intelligence, Effective Communication, and High Impact Presentations, and since then we have seen a great change in the day-to-day interactions of our staff. These trainings, along with our March training on “Values, Attitudes, and Job Satisfaction, were sponsored by The P&G Alumni Foundation and facilitated by Valor Humano, or Human Value, a Central American organization that specializes in employee training and capacity building. Through a series of presentations, role playing, and interactive challenges, we strengthened both our personal and teambuilding skills.
We delved into developing productive attitudes, expression, and use of emotions to motivate our work, covering a series of topics including intrapersonal and interpersonal intelligence, self-control, self-awareness, and empathy. A key piece of the training was learning how to give and receive constructive feedback, and how to act proactively rather than reactively on the job. In our “Effective Communication” session we learned the power of relaying messages, feedback, active listening, and clarity. Finally, our field staff learned how to impart “High Impact Presentations,” offering techniques to use during educational lessons and encourage active participation.
One individual who has seen a positive impact on his work since the training is Orlando España, a Credit Officer from La Ceiba. Orlando has learned to listen more carefully to what the women in his assemblies have to offer to the group. He now demonstrates a deep understanding of his clients, their histories, and any barriers to success, working with them as a group and providing individual counseling on their businesses as needed. Orlando’s clients trust him, and are not afraid to speak out to ask for an example or clarification of an idea. Orlando uses newly acquired techniques to present lessons in multiple ways so that everyone can fully grasp the information.
Orlando, and all of our Adelante credit officers have been continuously learning and utilizing their new skills as they meet with new clients with varying needs. In and outside of the field, our staff members have seen positive changes in our customer service, communication, and teamwork. We are all greatly appreciative of the collaboration with the P&G Alumni Foundation and we will continue to train our staff to deliver the highest quality service to our clients!
