Emotional Intelligence for Managers - Geelong

Emotional Intelligence for Managers - Geelong

You know that feeling when you're dealing with a team member who's clearly upset about something, but they keep saying "I'm fine" while their body language screams otherwise? Or when you've got to deliver some tough feedback and you're wondering how to do it without completely demotivating someone? If you're nodding along, you're definitely not alone. Managing people is tricky business, and half the challenge isn't the technical stuff - it's understanding what makes people tick and how to work with their emotions rather than against them.

Here's the thing about emotional intelligence - it's not some fluffy concept that looks good on a leadership poster. It's actually the difference between managers who struggle with their teams and those who seem to effortlessly get the best out of everyone. I've seen brilliant technical managers completely crash and burn because they couldn't read the room, and I've watched average performers become exceptional leaders once they figured out how to connect with people on an emotional level.

In this course, we're going to dig into the practical side of emotional intelligence. We'll cover how to recognise your own emotional triggers (because let's face it, we all have them), how to pick up on the subtle signs that someone's struggling before it becomes a bigger problem, and most importantly, how to use this awareness to have better conversations with your team. We'll work through real scenarios you face every day - like dealing with resistance to change, managing conflicts between team members, or having those performance conversations that everyone dreads.

You'll learn how to create an environment where people actually want to share what's going on with them, rather than putting on a brave face until they eventually burn out or quit. We'll also cover how to manage your own stress and emotions when things get intense, because let's be honest - if you're not managing your own emotional state well, you can't help anyone else with theirs.

What You'll Learn:

- How to spot the early warning signs when someone on your team is struggling, even when they haven't said anything directly
- Practical techniques for staying calm and focused when dealing with difficult conversations or high-pressure situations
- Ways to give feedback that actually motivates people rather than shutting them down
- How to build genuine trust with your team so they'll come to you with problems before they escalate
- Strategies for managing your own emotional reactions when things don't go according to plan
- Techniques for helping team members work through conflicts without you having to referee every disagreement
- How to adapt your communication style to what different people need in the moment

The Bottom Line:

This isn't about becoming a workplace therapist or pretending everything's sunshine and rainbows. It's about developing the skills to read situations better, communicate more effectively, and create a work environment where people can do their best work without all the unnecessary drama. You'll walk away with practical tools you can start using immediately, and your team will notice the difference. Most managers who take this course say the biggest change is that their job becomes less stressful because they're dealing with issues before they become major headaches, and their team members start coming to them for help rather than avoiding difficult conversations.