Workplace changes have placed new pressures on how we communicate. It is important to find ways to deconstruct those pressures in a positive, deliberate manner to help improve your virtual relationships and work environment. Improving our emotional intelligence is key.

As we continue to grow and adapt to working remotely (and with the additional challenge of masks when face to face), emotional intelligence can feel elusive but that is what makes it so critical. Emotional Intelligence is most commonly defined as the ability to 1) recognize, understand, and manage our own emotions, 2) perceive and influence the emotions of others, and 3) cope with challenges, manage stress, and make decisions. In more practical terms, it means being aware of how our emotions can drive our behavior and impact people (both positively and negatively).

Over the last few days we have been collectively searching for the right words and the right actions, for a path forward, questioning, how can we do better than we have in the past? How can we turn this pivotal moment into one that has lasting impact? There is so much justified pain out there, and we acknowledge that there is no easy fix for the racial bigotry and systemic bias that has plagued our country for generations. Additionally, set against the backdrop of a global pandemic, it is especially hard not to feel hopeless and helpless about the future.

At WIN, we are committed to disassembling implicit (and explicit) biases, cultivating diverse leadership, and empowering women from all backgrounds.

We’ve assembled a list of resources to help support the Black Lives Movement from home or better educate yourself about racism and bias in America.

For parents stuck at home with their children over the last few months due to COVID-19, you may be feeling like you are in your own real-life version of a hostage situation. Here is what we can learn from real hostage negotiation that might help us navigate our own versions playing out every day with our children.  The Behavioral Change Stairway Model was developed by the hostage negotiation unit of the FBI and it outlines 5 steps to getting your opponent/hostage/counterparty or in this case child to see your perspective and change their course of action.

As many cities across the world begin to open up from lockdown orders due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is paramount to continue the CDC guideline of staying at least six feet apart in public places. Understanding and respecting the need for six feet of space is a new concept for everyone and in a time of quarantining and social distancing, the concepts of social etiquette and politeness like shaking hands and holding the door have been redefined. The most generous thing you can do now is to stay home or if you must go out, give everyone the necessary space to stay safe.

Every relationship right now can feel pretty strained. Whether it’s someone you haven’t had face-to-face contact with in over a month or someone you find yourself face-to-face with 24-hour regularity, conflict is sure to arise. But how do you get through this quarantine with relationships intact?

The power of negotiation stretches beyond equal pay. All of your conversations may feel more difficult right now. From establishing key essentials for work, vying for uninterrupted time for your business with your spouse, to ongoing negotiations with your children about what they can and cannot do - everything may likely feel like a negotiation and it would be only normal to feel depleted energetically.

After a few weeks of forced isolation, and with anxiety running high, it is only natural to be experiencing conflict with your family, partner, and/or children.  This conflict is a normal byproduct of our coping with extreme stress, with limited ability to take space, and an extreme lack of support. That being said, there are things we can do, even now, to improve communication, and get your needs met in a relationship.   The following tips can help you navigate the travails of intimate relationships, in times of self-imposed isolation –– or any time!

When you are designed differently you approach business, conflicts, life, and work creatively, optimistically, positively, and head-on. As a matter of fact, most problems aren’t really problems they are opportunities to get curious, experiment, learn, and grow. Where one person sees a problem because you are designed differently you reframe and see an opportunity to contribute, show up differently, and be the solution. Oftentimes great solutions are hidden in plain site.

Be honest ladies. We’ve all had times when Valentine’s Day made us a little crazy. It’s the one day each year that has the ability to destabilize even the most grounded female amongst us. Whether it’s a fleeting moment of sadness or an entire week of the blues, Valentine’s Day carries a huge message for women. It’s become a signifier of our worth and desirability.

Many of us view negotiation as a taboo, dirty word that implies those once in a blue moon, scary conversations that often revolve around money and get to the root of our fear of rejection.  In truth, negotiation is a skill that, whether we realize it or not, we use every day, all throughout the day.  We’ve put together 7 ways to improve your negotiations and shift your mindset towards embracing a very important life skill.