RESILIENCE One of biggest detractors from concentration and productivity is stress. Building resilience is best way to tolerate stress according to a recent Wall Street Journal article. Resilience, an EQ competency, means being able to bounce back after setbacks, disappointments, rejections and losses while retaining a hopeful and enthusiastic outlook.

According to Al Siebert, Ph.D., who has studied resilience for many years, one of attributes of a resilient person is having many different characteristics, for instance being able to be rigid ORr flexible, analytical OR creative, as required by particular situation. This requires also being able to access all parts of your brain – emotions and thinking, left and right brain. This is EQ in action.

FLEXIBILITY Being flexible means being able to generate alternate solutions when you “hit wall.” Whether it’s a person you can’t get around, or an idea you know will work but may not initially be popular, or a change in office systems, or a turf war that needs managing, having many alternate ways of approaching challenge maximizes your chances of success.

POSITIVE ATTITUDE Optimism is facilitator of all EQ competencies and fuels productivity and high performance. A high score in optimism is single best predictor for successful sales peoples ( http://www.eiconsortium.org ), and is crucial to performance situations such as giving presentations and negotiating.

HOW TO INTRODUCE EQ A model program begins with assessing each individual’s EQ ( http:/ inyurl.com/z94t ). Then start everyone on The EQ Foundation Course© which explains competencies and raises EQ as it is taken. It is interactive and on Internet, self-paced, active learning, 12 modules, and comes with a workbook.

Then each individual receives coaching weekly to work on competencies that need improving. Weekly group meetings can facilitate group learning. 3 months is recommended minimum amount of time for this sort of learning. A post-program assessment measures results.

Alternatively, managers and executives can take this program and learn how to coach others in EQ.

Participants in a well-designed and initiated EQ program will increase their ability to work together, to lead more effectively, to manage themselves and motivate others better, to be more flexible and creative in finding solutions, to focus better and act with intent, and to be more resilient, and therefore, ultimately, be more productive.

7.Take time to play

Give yourself time to recharge doing things you love to do or by just doing nothing.

8.Be aware of your self-talk

Are you blocking your potential? Check out your first thoughts when you wake tomorrow. Are they supportive, encouraging or positive? Choose kind of chatter that’s goes on in your mind. Become aware of negative messages you give yourself. Gently catch them and turn them into positive affirmations.

9.Surround yourself with inspiration

Keep a success journal. Write down you four or five greatest strengths and post them where you can see them. On last Friday of each month, write down all your accomplishments both big and small.

10.Serve others When you live authentically, you may find that you develop an interconnected sense of being. When you are true to who you are, living your purpose and giving of your talents to world around you, you give back in service what you came to share with others -your spirit – your essence.