Nairobi to Host First Ever Emotional Intelligence Conference

Emotional Intelligence plays a critical role in giving leaders, managers and low-tier staff an emotional edge, above and beyond the technical skills required for success in the workplace.

Comprised of a specific set of observable and measurable competencies, Emotional Intelligence, also known as EQ, is a critical skill that influences how individuals perceive and express themselves, develop and maintain social relationships, cope with challenges, and use emotional information in an effective and meaningful way.  More and more organizations are investing in the training of this critical skill for staff members.

According to research conducted by Six Seconds – a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting people to create positive change, Emotional Intelligence is strongly linked to increased performance outcome scores of Effectiveness, Relationships, Wellbeing and Quality of Life. That’s one reason the World Economic Forum identifies it as one of the essential skills for the future.

At a young age and in the education set-up, Emotional Intelligence is a critical skill that would enable the young to cultivate essential life skills including awareness of one’s own emotions, fostering empathy, respect and care for others, establishing strong relationships, setting and achieving positive goals, making ethical and responsible decisions, and handling adversity constructively.

In a society where more children and youth are facing major social, emotional and mental health obstacles to succeeding at school, including bullying, sexual harassment, and abuse – sometimes by those who are supposed to protect, emotional Intelligence would play a critical role in establishing how they deal with such challenges.

Read: Significance of EQ and Emotional Stability in Business

In addition to this, is the issue of childhood stress, whether from conflict at home, peer pressure or exam pressure, are factors that can negatively impact a child’s ability to successfully navigate school and life.

It is in line with these challenges that Premier Training Services Ltd, in collaboration with Six Seconds, the Wangari Maathai Foundation, and the Vale School, Muthaiga are hosting the first ever Emotional Intelligence (EQ4Africa) Conference in Nairobi from 20^th-21^st February, 2019.

The EQ4Africa conference is dedicated to empowering leaders – from education and business – with emotional intelligence skills.

Speaking about the conference, Mucha Mlingo, an Emotional Intelligence Expert based in Kenya said that used critically and efficiently, EQ is a powerful tool that can empower people of all ages to be courageous leaders.

The mission of the Wangari Maathai Foundation is to advance the legacy of Wangari Maathai by nurturing a culture of purpose and integrity that inspires courageous leadership.

The Wangari Maathai Foundation are currently piloting the Hummingbird Leadership Project – a personal leadership and character-building program for preteens & teens, designed to inspire a new generation of engaged citizens.

The two-day conference will focus on topics like “Reshaping Africa’s education by leveraging EQ to optimize learning” and “Transforming Africa’s workforce by enabling organizations to increase the utilization of EQ tools as a key driver for optimal productivity.”