Social Intelligence

Involves being a role model and facilitator of psychologically safe interactions between and among all people in the workplace.

What is social intelligence?

Social intelligence involves being a role model and facilitator of psychologically safe interactions between and among all people in the workplace, including those who are marginalized or vulnerable.

How does social intelligence contribute to psychologically safe leadership?

There are many benefits to having leaders effectively trained in social intelligence:

• Pressures and challenges are better addressed, managed, and less likely to lead to worker absence.

• Workers with mental health difficulties may reach out earlier for help and assistance.

• Workers are more likely to demonstrate civility and respect with coworkers, customers and clients.

• Productivity can be maintained and potentially enhanced during times of high demand.

• Worker engagement and satisfaction could increase.

FAQs

• What can I do when a worker informs me that they are experiencing mental health issues?

  • Start by listening, without interrupting. Let workers know that they are not alone in managing their current difficulties and thank them for trusting you. Ensure privacy and confidentiality of the information shared with you. If you do have to share information (e.g. for a worker in a safety sensitive job) let the worker know what you will share, with who and why.

  • Ask workers how you can best support them and what their immediate needs are – at work and personally (if/as appropriate).

  • Let the worker know about available mental health resources, both internal at your workplace, as well as external community supports.

  • Ensure regular check-ins and follow-ups with the worker.

• I’m unsure what to say, and don’t want to further upset someone when they share their emotional or personal concerns with me. What’s appropriate for me to say?

  • While it’s important to ensure the words that we use are kind, civil and respectful, our nonverbal communication is often much more important than our specific words when supporting someone who is distressed. Learn more about effective verbal vs. non-verbal communication here.

  • Consider times when you have been distressed and felt supported by another. Rarely is it ‘perfect words’ from another that help the most. Instead, having someone who listens attentively, shows empathy genuinely, and avoids making judgements or assumptions tends to be the most beneficial.

  • Specifically ask what you can do and how you can best be of help and support.

• When others are emotionally distressed, I feel my emotions get heightened. How can I best manage my own emotional reactions?

  • It’s normal and natural for many of us to feel emotionally upset when someone else is distressed. This occurs for many reasons, including our own backgrounds and experience with emotions, as well as our own levels of stress. Learn more about understanding your own personal barriers here.

  • When someone else is distressed, we can become emotionally triggered and this can impede our ability to effectively support others. Learn more about your own emotional triggers here.

Next Steps

Committing to enhancing social intelligence as a leader

• For social intelligence, there are many ways that you can improve and expand your skills, including:

  • Creating your own mental health resource list (of internal organizational supports and external community supports).

  • Identifying and understanding how your reactions impact others, and how other people’s emotions impact you.

  • Enhancing your skills in managing stress, self-regulating your emotions and managing frustration and anger.

  • Setting and communicating times you are available to talk about difficulties or challenges workers may be facing.

  • Reviewing and considering implementing an anti-stigma campaign, such as that offered by Not Myself Today.‍ ‍

  • Asking specific questions to solicit ideas on how to build a great team experience.

  • Inviting solutions from your team on challenges that exist and arise.

  • Enhancing your verbal and non-verbal communication skills.

  • Actively and intentionally working on strengthening team relationships.

  • Providing supportive performance management that focuses on solutions and enhancing worker success.

  • Helping workers manage change by communicating clearly about impending changes, and asking what supports they require.

  • Having team discussions to generate ideas about what you can do to support worker engagement.

  • Hosting team discussions and using them to model good interpersonal skills.

  • Facilitating team discussions about difficult and challenging issues.

Downloads

View example action plan

Complete the action plan worksheet

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