Emotional Intelligence: Student Workbook
Self-Assessment and Practice Activities
Exercise 1: Emotional Intelligence Self-Assessment
Rate your current capabilities (1-5 scale)
- Self-awareness (recognizing my emotions): ___
- Self-regulation (managing emotions): ___
- Motivation (resilience and drive): ___
- Empathy (understanding others): ___
- Social skills (building relationships): ___
Reflection: Where are your strengths? Which areas feel most challenging?
Exercise 2: Identifying Your Emotional Triggers
Think of three situations that consistently provoke strong emotional reactions.
Trigger 1: ________________________________________________________________
- What emotion do you feel? (anger, anxiety, shame, frustration, etc.)
- Physical sensations: _______________________________________________________
- Your typical response: _____________________________________________________
- Impact on others: _________________________________________________________
Trigger 2: ________________________________________________________________
- What emotion do you feel?
- Physical sensations: _______________________________________________________
- Your typical response: _____________________________________________________
- Impact on others: _________________________________________________________
Trigger 3: ________________________________________________________________
- What emotion do you feel?
- Physical sensations: _______________________________________________________
- Your typical response: _____________________________________________________
- Impact on others: _________________________________________________________
Pattern Recognition: What do these triggers have in common?
Exercise 3: Your Emotional Pattern
Identify your default emotional pattern:
[ ] Conflict avoider: Suppress emotions, minimize conflict
[ ] Hothead reactor: Express emotions intensely in the moment
[ ] Chronic worrier: Persistent anxiety about outcomes
[ ] Perfectionist: Drive self and others toward unrealistic standards
[ ] People-pleaser: Neglect own needs to appease others
[ ] Other: ____________________________________________________________________
When does this pattern serve you well?
When does this pattern create problems?
Cost/Benefit: What would change if you shifted this pattern?
Exercise 4: Developing Emotional Awareness Through Journaling
Instructions: For one week, journal daily about an emotional experience.
Date: _______________
Situation: What happened?
Emotion: What did you feel? (Be specific—not just "bad" but "frustrated, disappointed, powerless")
Trigger/Cause: What specifically provoked the emotion?
Physical Sensations: Where did you feel it in your body?
Your Response: What did you do or say?
Outcome: What was the result?
Learning: What did you learn about yourself?
Exercise 5: Emotion Regulation Techniques
Technique 1: Cognitive Reappraisal
Original thought that triggers emotion:
Reframed thought that reduces negative emotion:
Technique 2: Physiological Reset
Which physical reset method will you practice?
[ ] Deep breathing (2-minute practice now: 4-count inhale, 6-count exhale)
[ ] Vigorous movement (walk, jump, dance)
[ ] Sensory grounding (notice 5 things you see, 4 you hear, 3 you feel)
[ ] Other: ___________________________________________________________________
Practice commitment: I will use this technique when: _____________________
Technique 3: Time-Out
When you need a break, what will you say?
Example language: "I need a few minutes to think about this. Can we continue in an hour?"
Your language: _____________________________________________________________
Exercise 6: Empathetic Listening Practice
Partner Interview
Have a colleague share a challenge they're facing. Practice these listening skills:
- Minimize distractions
- Focus on understanding, not preparing your response
- Listen for emotions and concerns, not just facts
- Use open body language
- Ask clarifying questions
- Reflect back: "What I'm hearing is..."
After the conversation:
What emotions did your partner express (directly or indirectly)?
What concerns or values seem important to them?
What would it be like to be in their situation?
Exercise 7: Perspective-Taking
Challenging Situation: Think of someone whose behavior frustrates or confuses you.
Your Perspective: How do you interpret their behavior? What's your story about why they act this way?
Their Perspective: Imagine their viewpoint. What pressures or concerns might they be facing? What values are important to them?
New Understanding: How does understanding their perspective shift your view?
What you might do differently:
Exercise 8: Trust-Building in Action
For one week, focus on one trust-building behavior:
[ ] Authenticity: Share appropriate vulnerability and admit mistakes
[ ] Reliability: Follow through on all commitments
[ ] Transparency: Explain your decisions and reasoning
Commitment: I will demonstrate this behavior by: _______________________
Situations where I'll practice:
Results: How did this behavior shift relationships?
Exercise 9: Handling Difficult Conversations
Feedback Conversation Script
Person: ________________________ Situation: _______________________________
Opening (acknowledge importance, state positive intent):
"I want to talk with you about something that's important to me..."
Specific Behavior (avoid personality judgments):
"I noticed that [specific behavior]..."
Impact (how it affects you, team, customers):
"The impact of this is..."
Invitation to Dialogue (ask for their perspective):
"Help me understand what's going on from your point of view..."
Moving Forward (support and expectations):
"What would help you [desired outcome]? How can I support you?"
Exercise 10: Conflict Resolution Practice
Situation: You and a colleague disagree about approach to project.
Step 1: Each Party's Perspective
Your interests/concerns:
Their interests/concerns (imagine):
Step 2: Find Common Ground
What do you both want? (quality work, team success, client satisfaction, etc.)
Step 3: Collaborative Options
Brainstorm solutions that address both sets of interests:
Step 4: Mutually Agreeable Solution
Option we both can support: __________________________________________________
Exercise 11: Creating Psychological Safety
In Your Team/Department
What behaviors would help team members feel safe to:
- Speak up about problems? __________________________________________________
- Ask questions? _____________________________________________________________
- Admit mistakes? ____________________________________________________________
- Be authentic? ______________________________________________________________
Your Leadership Actions
What will you do to create this safety?
Measuring Success: How will you know psychological safety is improving?
Exercise 12: Personal EI Development Plan
Dimension to Develop (choose one): _____________________________________
Current State: How am I currently in this dimension?
Desired State: How do I want to show up differently?
Specific Goal: What specific behavior will I demonstrate?
Development Strategy (choose approach):
[ ] Executive coaching with focus on this dimension
[ ] Deliberate practice: Practice new behavior in low-stakes situations
[ ] 360-degree feedback to understand how others perceive me
[ ] Peer coaching partner for accountability and support
[ ] Training or workshop focused on this dimension
[ ] Reading and study
30-Day Practice Plan
Week 1 focus: __________________________________________________________
Week 2 focus: __________________________________________________________
Week 3 focus: __________________________________________________________
Week 4 focus: __________________________________________________________
Accountability Partner: _________________ Check-in Date: ______________
Closing Reflection
What's one key insight from this course?
How will you apply emotional intelligence in your leadership this week?
What support or resources do you need to sustain development?
Long-Term Commitment: Emotional intelligence development is a lifelong journey. What are you committed to?