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RESULTS
Developing Emotional Competence™ Program
Large Transportation System Organization's
Leadership Development Program
Introduction
From July 2005 through November 2005, a Developing Emotional Competence Program was facilitated for a group of high-potential employees of a large transportation system organization's Leadership Development Program. A total of 9 participants were trained. The program included a pre-program presentation, pre and post program surveys, pre-program interviews, a two-day developmental session, post program coaching sessions, impact interviews, and a final report. All participants (100% sample) participated in the end of course impact interviews. Following is a summary of the results.
Results
Post Training Coaching
The findings of the post-training coaching sessions are consistent with those of other Developing Emotional Competence Programs facilitated for other organizations. The coaching sessions revealed that participants were using the techniques in a wide variety of situations to help them achieve a wide variety of purposes. Some of those situations are listed below.
To make better decisions more quickly
To be calmer and clearer
To eliminate procrastination
To improve/manage relationships
To appreciate others
To get to win-win solutions
To be more motivated
To gain cooperation, respect and demonstrate caring
To stop blame
To talk openly and honestly
To stop frustration
To resolve conflicts
To improve own attitude and others
To understand others
To manage emotional reactiveness
To eliminate emotional drain
To handle unrealistic, threatening situations
To make choices on how one responds to situations (vs. react)
To handle fear
To see the bigger picture
To be more positive
To focus on job details
To plan more completely
Personal and Organizational Quality Assessment-Revised (POQA-R)
The POQA-R is a self-report inventory designed to reflect the key psychological and workplace elements or constructs that contribute to overall quality of an organization. The instrument provides a concentrated yet comprehensive assessment in two main topic areas: Personal Quality and Organizational Quality (Institute of HeartMath and Caring Management Consulting, "POQA-R Personal and Organizational Quality Assessment - Revised," 1999-2002). The POQA-R was administered pre and post .
Personal Constructs - There were improvements in all ten personal constructs:
- Two had dramatic improvement from Below Average to Substantially Above Average.
- Three had significant improvement either from Above Average to Substantially Above Average or in the Above Average category.
- Two others had major improvement.
- The remaining three showed modest improvement.
Organizational Constructs - As is typical of results from Developing Emotional Competence programs with other organizations, this group had mixed results in the fourteen organizational constructs. Ten constructs improved while four constructs declined. Again, as with other programs, the movement (whether positive or negative) was not as dramatic as that seen in the personal constructs for this group.
Figures 1 and 2 represent the total group improvements
Impact Interviews
The Impact Interview participants provided specific examples of how they were using the techniques taught in the program during one-hour, individual, face-to-face interviews. Figure 3 below depicts the range and average improvements in Personal Goal areas reported by all Impact Interview participants.
Conclusions
Level 3 Impact - Many Participants Are Experiencing Significant Benefits
Use of Techniques On-the-Job
The results from the various coaching sessions, the POQA-R, and the Impact Interviews indicate significant improvement among participants. It's important to note that the results (both small and large) of using the techniques have a cumulative effect on the user and, in most cases, on those who interact with the user. The effects are similar to those of a single drop of water in a still pond. The ripples not only touch the user and the other person, they subsequently affect, in a positive way, other people that person interacts with throughout the workday and at home.
Level 4 Impact
Impact of Use of Techniques on Personal and Organizational Measures
There is a large positive Level 4 impact on the organization. Some examples show that participants are...
- changing long-term negative, non-productive relationships into positive, cooperative, productive relationships.
- resolving conflict more quickly and efficiently.
- handling multiple projects effectively.
- securing business with new prospects.
- getting more work done themselves.
- maintaining full pricing in the face of competitive tactics.
- prioritizing to meet deadlines.
- experiencing less anxiety when faced with challenging tasks.
- achieving a greater comfort level in conversation with superiors.
- facing difficult situations and challenges with energy and confidence.
- transforming frustrating situations into productive opportunities.
- achieving key milestones both professionally and personally.
- using the techniques to solve performance problems of their people.
- changing their own and other people's attitude for the better.
- getting more cooperation from people.
- improving their health.
- making more effective (efficient + caring), intuitive decisions.
Below are a few of the many Impact Interview statements reflecting a positive Level 4 impact on the organization.
Goal: Improve teamwork
- Before I would try to own all the tasks. Now I go to others and ask them to draft something that I would have done myself before. I've learned that I can't own those things now. I manage my initial uneasiness of letting someone else do it instead of me by unconsciously using the Freeze-Frame technique. They are doing a better job than I could have done, and it is developing them at the same time.
Goal: Understand others
- I had a direct report that in the past had frustrated me a lot. A lot of my frustration with him was really about the situations he was facing. I spent a couple of days with him in his area. I listened and understood him better. He wasn't complaining, he was looking for some help and guidance, some coaching.
- One thing I'm doing is we have brought in a very new group of management here. It is important that they work as a team. Part of my role is to make them work as a team and cooperate and trust each other. Using the Freeze-Frame technique and the Intuitive Listening technique I am less stressed and less worried. The way I feel impacts my people. I am appreciating them for their work and I generate a positive environment. If they perceive me as calm and relaxed things flow more positively.
Goal: Reduce Stress and Worry
- I'm definitely feeling less stress. I'm not feeling overwhelmed. I'm nipping it in the bud. When I start to feel stomach upset and apprehension starting, I use the Heart Lock-In technique or Freeze-Frame technique and ask myself why. Instead of building up and feeling overwhelmed and up tight, I'm relaxed.
- I'm more relaxed and not letting emotions take over. I'm not taking two hours to calm down because I'm managing my emotions. It has become obvious to me that a lot of the stress I put on myself. If you use these techniques, you see that a lot of the stress is in your head."
Goal: Personal Productivity
- What it has done is not increase the volume of work I produce but it has improved the quality. I'm getting to the right things sooner and making better quality decisions and I'm not having to go back as much to revisit problems. I deal with problems one time, not several times.
Goal: Listen More, Talk Less
- I'm not exactly sure on this one. I listen more and talk more. I was listening more certainly, and talking more with good results. I tend to listen differently. That could be the key. I tend to listen more intuitively. I had a situation with a large potential customer. They have interests in using our services, but they were not sure. By just asking some simple questions, I gathered information. Then I verified what I thought I heard him saying by using the Intuitive Listening technique. He said yes, I was right. I went into my sales pitch to address his concerns that I heard. At the end of the day, he said we would finalize this conversation and get the business rolling. This new business is worth $100,000 to $250,000 a year to us.
Goal: Manage Relationships More Effectively
- I'm always respectful with all employees and with my family. When it comes down to a problem, by having all the benefits that this program provides (less stress, increased mental clarity) I can manage relationships more effectively while maintaining respect. When I was stressed before the program I was not managing as well. Less stress definitely has an impact.
Goal: Stay Motivated
- I'm not letting things bother me from another department; its not taking my motivation away and I'm staying more focused. Through the Heart Lock-In technique or the Freeze-Frame technique or "What Am I Feeling Right Now?" (WAIFRN) I can get to the heart of the matter and not let things take wind out of my sail. We often make things worse than they really are.
Did We / Are We Achieving the Purpose of the Program?
The answer is "Yes!" Most of the participants are using three or four techniques either regularly or as needed. For some, use of the techniques has become a part of the way they lead and who they are.
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