Performance
My company has been in a “do more with less” mode of operating. Each team member is being asked to perform more, while many of those “teams” are now a single individual. Being creative, striving to be more efficient is the only way to handle the scope. We cannot create additional hours in the day nor can we clone ourselves to be more than one person. That is where you, and your EQ class, is helping. The self-awareness and self-management are the two areas I draw from. Too much time is wasted when you get frustrated. The anxiety leads to a lack of focus. Lack of focus adds delay, missed deadlines, and breeds procrastination. The result is lost time (that you did not have), decreased productivity (when you are already behind schedule), and poor results. This sequence quickly develops into a pattern. The repetitive events lay the foundation for a building a negative habit. Understanding the triggers, discovering the ANTS, and side-stepping the traps to avoid the inevitable road to being emotionally hijacked has already paid off.
Ted Machicek – Operations Manager/Chief of Staff, Hewlett Packard
Productivity
This class has helped me realize that some of my real problems are non-anger base impulse control, time management, self-motivation, and staying present. I was constantly checking sports or news websites on my phone throughout the day…I’ve started recognizing the avoiding behavior, taking a deep breath, and doing whatever it is. Since I’ve started doing that I’m aware of the sense of relief and even pride that I did something I didn’t want to do is much better than allowing a sense of dread to build up while delaying.
Mason Edwards – Controls Engineer, Saint-Gobains
Time Management
I have developed the reputation of “a fixer”, a person who is brought into a problem and turns things around. Great reputation to have except when I have everyone wanting my opinion on their issues. This is also in part to the fact that I have worked in almost every department. I needed to be more strategic and protective of my time which is valuable to my company and myself. My time management got better…In one day I got back 3 hrs of my time for my own priorities which in turn are others priorities from me. This has helped to keep any anxiousness I was feeling at the day’s end to a minimum and my overall mental well being when leaving work for the day.
Crystal Thornton – Quality Manager, Caterpillar
Effective Relationships
After a few days, I finally requested time to speak with him directly and soon learned that there were numerous external factors that were contributing to his attitude at work. I applied the EQ skills I learned and listened empathetically as he detailed personal and professional issues that affected him and his responses to numerous team members. After having this open conversation, we were able to collectively improve morale on the team and have an improved working relationship with one another. This reduced the additional friction on the project and allowed us to focus on the client deliverable fully. I am truly thankful for EQ experience, and I look forward to future opportunities to display my ongoing developments.
Nedra Newman – IT Consultant, Accenture
Decision Making
After taking the EQ class, I’ve really been able to get inside my own head and find my motivations that surround this decision. Fear is one of my motivations for staying in the same place. Taking time to really be introspective has helped also. Relaxing and finding that restful place to consider options is helping. I don’t know if I will make this life move yet or not, but I think I know my motivations for each side. Oddly, doing the interview with a leader in engineering within my company also gave me some sage advice about seeking happiness in this short life we live.
Lance Decker – Solutions Success Engineer, BlueCats USA, LLC
Communication + Employee Performance
Our next 1×1 went much, much better. I spoke to her specifically about some of the techniques that we practiced in class around allowing ourselves some space to temper our reactions, and that seemed to strike a nerve with her; she admitted that some of her responses were driven by the heat of the moment, and that she would have responded differently if she had just walked away from the computer for a few minutes. We came away from the meeting with a solid action plan on how to improve the program’s performance, and she is focusing on improving her communications and not allowing herself to become hijacked in stressful situations.
Leigha Loranger – Program Manager, Dell
Difficult Situations
A lot of what I do on a daily basis is about managing uncomfortable situations. As a customer quality engineer, I get phone calls when things are not right. I have to be able to keep myself from reacting to the customer’s distress in an nonconstructive manner, and I have to be able to listen to what they are saying in order to help them figure out what has gone wrong. I think your EQ class has helped me be more aware and more able to identify and manage my emotional response to my customers.
Caroline Stasiowski – Customer Quality Engineer, Parker Hannifin
Morale + Attitude
The EQ class taught me to be self aware, not just of my actions and attitude, but how my actions and attitude affect others around me. I have worked hard to take few minutes of deep breathing to calm my mind before the meetings and to be mindful of my attitude, posture and responses during the meeting. I am not going to claim complete success but I will claim a big improvement. These small steps have not only improved my outlook on the meetings, I truly believe they have had a positive influence on the others in the meeting and the outcome of the meetings. The meetings now end in an hour and a half and most everyone will stick around for 10-15 minutes of small talk. I sense a positive shift in morale and attitude of the other team members and we are working more as a collective leadership group. This small step has improved my work quality of life and I thank you for it.
John Portillo – Sr. Senior Director Nuclear Sales, AZZ Nuclear
Communication
My problem has been my use of body language and tone of language during job interviews. After some thought and evaluation, I felt that I was often being too direct about describing my capabilities to the interviewer without properly listening to their line of questioning and providing an adequate response. The Emotional Intelligence program has had a profound effect on my results from job interviews recently (I currently have three offers under consideration) as it has got me to actively be in tune with my feelings and emotions in the present moment during the interview process.
Andrew Burgess – Business Development Manager, Semco Marine
I have had many training opportunities throughout my career but none have left a deeper or more lasting impact. I know that many lessons I learned will continue to challenge me to be a better leader, coworker and person. Seminar is such a lacking word to describe the profound experience that this training comprised and that was expertly conveyed by you. Your work and passion for the lessons we learned are beyond compare. You are immensely gifted and you shared those gifts with all us without reservation.
John Lyons – Sr. Marketing Engineer CapRock Communications
Dr. Zoghi breaks the mold on traditional engineering education by including the emotional intelligence.
Jeb Bell – CEO Equipment Controls Co.
I am experiencing the difference between wanting to be a great leader and actually becoming one!
Anonymous – CEO, Distribution Services, Texas
To be an effective leader, we must first become effective individuals. To become whole as human beings, we must first realize that we have strengths as well as weaknesses. To leverage my strengths and address my weaknesses one issue at a time has given me inner peace.
Anonymous – Director of Vision, Values and Mission, Software Company, USA