Barnabas File

What does leadership mean to you?     Leadership is more than articulating and pursuing a healthy vision for your congregation or organization.     Effective leadership is based on understanding yourself and others, then exercising the appropriate actions based on that knowledge.   In recent years, we have labeled this constellation of competencies Social and Emotional Intelligence.  So, what is Social and Emotional Intelligence?   It’s being aware of our own emotions, and the emotions of others, IN THE MOMENT, and then using that information to manage ourselves and manage our relationships.    The four components of Social and Emotional Intelligence are:   ·        Self-Awareness--Being aware of what’s going on within us, in the moment. ·        Other Awareness--Being aware of what might be going on within others and responding with care and consideration. ·  ...

Have you worked with a leader who just did not “get it”?     They were not aware of the impact that their behavior had on others or were unaware of the emotions of other individuals.     These skills comprise what we term “social and emotional intelligence.” Leaders with high social and emotional intelligence can understand, empathize with, and motivate others. This fosters trust, loyalty, and open communication within teams.    Social and emotional intelligence is a broad term encompassing our ability to understand and manage our own emotions, as well as the emotions of others, and utilize that understanding to navigate social situations effectively. It's not just about being "nice" or good at reading minds, but rather a set of skills that can significantly impact various aspects of our lives, including: Personal well-being: SEI skills like self-awareness and emotional regulation help us cope with stress, make sound decisions, and build healthy relat...

In our coaching classes, someone will bring up the question, “How do I discover my coaching niche?”     A niche is defined as “a specialized segment of the market for which you are best fitted.” This is an area in which someone might focus their attention as a coach.     Although we believe that a competent coach can use her or his skills to coach persons in any vocation, there are a couple of reasons someone identifies a niche.    First, when you work with someone in a vocation with which you are familiar, you are more comfortable initiating the conversation with that person.  You are more confident.  This does not mean that you expect to share your expertise or experiences with the client, but your background helps you to understand the playing field and provide a mental framework to ask good questions.   Second, as you begin to develop your coaching practice, the natural strategy is to pursue contacts within your network—people y...