Emotional intelligence as a secret weapon

Mounira Latrache, New ways to work through mindfulness

Ashtanga Vinyasa Flow Yoga Teacher      Mindfulness Meditation Teacher – Bachelor in Public Relations & Corporate Communications – Diploma in Sociology – Systemic Business Coach

Currently on Google/YouTube Space Berlin lead
As a Search-Inside-Yourself-Teacher she has been teaching her employer Google a quite new approach since 2012, which is becoming more and more popular in the business world: “Mindfulness in Business” is an attentive cooperation and also deals with emotional intelligence in her seminars.

Why is emotional intelligence considered a secret weapon in professional life, Mounira Latrache

The topic of emotional intelligence is increasingly establishing itself in business and requires new skills. Mounira Latrache explains in quick succession what it is all about.

More attentiveness at work, please!

The topic Mindfulness is on everyone’s lips and is discussed in numerous guidebooks. The decisive point to learn is to consciously perceive oneself as well as one’s own environment. This also includes the workplace, as it is part of everyday life for most people and usually takes up half of an active day. Now also the economy has recognized the topic and new questions arise: What is important so that we can feel comfortable and develop at work? What competencies does a manager actually need who is confronted with the diverse demands of a fast-moving world?

Mounira Latrache has the following answers to the question of how we can concentrate on ourselves in a new way in an overcrowded working world, without losing sight of the world around us and sinking into stress.

What exactly is behind these seminars on “Mindfulness in Business”?

“Search Inside Yourself is an executive training and deals with skills around dealing with our world of thoughts, our emotions and the people who surround us. The course is about using mindfulness techniques to navigate our personal possibilities and challenges with more resilience, commitment and happiness. What I personally find exciting about it is that we can clearly strengthen our compassion for others. In technical jargon this is called “Compassionate Leadership” – from ME to WE. We can also see that this topic is becoming more and more important from the fact that the “Institute for Compassionate Leadership” was recently founded in Stanford.

A study by Gallup from 2013 shows that 70 percent of all employees at their workplace are not fully involved. A frighteningly high figure, I think, but what impact does it have on personal and professional success?

“This figure is indeed frighteningly high. Being real at the moment gives a completely different quality to what we do. Personally, I have found a whole new way to work: much more focused, concentrated and at the same time more fun. But I also notice faster when I’m stressed and need a break. The way I meet others has also changed. I take a closer look at the well-being of my team and make sure that they lead a happy life. This inevitably has a positive effect on my private life.

Although the number from the study is very high, it could be reduced significantly with very little effort. After all, there are many ways to combine the seemingly contradictory aspects of “mindfulness” and “everyday working life”: Starting with a conscious breath during the day, an attentive walk or lunch. Being mindful can also mean being fully involved and not being distracted when writing an email. It has been scientifically proven that improvements in work quality are noticeable after only ten minutes of mindfulness practice a day. To pay attention consciously to it is worthwhile itself. The question about the effects in open-plan offices remains open, but must be answered in the future.

To what extent is mindfulness related to leadership skills?

“Nowadays, when we think of outstanding managers, social skills are more important to us than knowledge or professional competence. The US-American science journalist Daniel Goleman describes in his book “Working with Emotional Intelligence” and in innumerable studies that outstanding executives demonstrate a combination of IQ and EQ (emotional intelligence). Emotional intelligence encompasses two aspects of intelligence: the ability to reflect on one’s goals, values and behavior, and the ability to understand the behavior and feelings of others.