Interviewer: Mahmoud Mansi

“In these times of considerable change and disruption, never before has the power of Emotional Intelligence been more important.”

Abi Krimeed-White

COVID-19 is having a wide-ranging impact on the way we work, how we live and our relationships. We are bombarded with new developments daily. We don’t know what to expect and listen intently to any new development. In such circumstances it is easy for a team which normally gets along well and functions productively, to gradually become frustrated with each other and stop communicating as the stress builds. Never before has the subject of Emotional Intelligence and Resilience been so critical for organisations as they navigate the new normal.

HR Revolution Middle East Magazine: Who are PSI and as consulting organisation, how are you coping with the circumstances?

Abi Krimeed-White: PSI Middle East is the largest group of Chartered Occupational Psychologists operating across the region. We work in the field of Talent Management, Assessment and Development, supporting individuals, teams and organisations.

We made the move to remote working remarkably well. We are currently running Assessment and Development Centres, workshops on Coaching Skills and Performance Management, and this week we are running our first virtual 4-day British Psychological Society Qualification in Occupational Testing; Personality & Ability (Level A&B). We have also facilitated our first remote Senior Leadership Team strategic retreat, which personally I did not think would be possible until now!

Naturally we are learning all the time and adapting our approach to ensure interaction and engagement across our team. But most importantly, our business continuity plans have proven to be robust and everyone is equipped at home to ensure seamless delivery to our clients.

HR Revolution Middle East Magazine: What is Emotional Intelligence (EI)?

Abi Krimeed-White: Emotional intelligence is the management of personality. It comprises multiple elements and each one enables us to be more effective in the way that we behave, react to adverse situations and demonstrate effective behaviours consistently.

Research shows that Emotional Intelligence is an important characteristic for everyone, regardless of their level in an organisation, but it is particularly important for those who occupy leadership positions. A leader can have far-reaching influence over their relationships, how they manage, motivate and engage their teams, and the culture they create around them at work.

EI boils down to awareness; being able to notice and interpret our emotions and the emotions of others, and incorporating our feelings into our thinking [JR1] in a way which is constructive. It enables us to be more effective in our lives, challenge limiting beliefs, build resilience and nurture relationships at home and work.

HR Revolution Middle East Magazine: Now people are working from home and executives are virtually managing their teams, can emotional intelligence be applied virtually?

Abi Krimeed-White: Yes, absolutely. Online or offline, on paper and in-person; EI is everywhere! It is about thinking first and considering the consequences and impact of our actions. It enables us to engage with team members in far more constructively; listening, providing feedback and empowering them to achieve successful business outcomes. To dream big and not be afraid if it doesn’t work!

HR Revolution Middle East Magazine: Recently PSI has launched a free online training program about “Emotional Intelligence” to support the community. Can you tell us more about this initiative and why this topic specifically at this time?

Abi Krimeed-White: We’re really proud of this initiative which is designed to help Leaders, Managers and Individual Contributors cope with the changes brought about by COVID-19. We realise that now is a challenging time for our economy, so it’s completely free of charge and comprises the following elements:

  1. Access to EI Zone (Mobile App) for 3 months (Calendar Events, EI Content, EI Daily Progress Tracker)
  2. 3 x Leadership Lounges (1-hr Webinars) throughout April (15th, 22nd and 30th April) helping us to lead through these challenging times
  3. Series of EI Hangouts (15-minute Videos) for you to watch at any time to suit you on various subjects including ‘Attitude Matters’ and ‘Team Work’.

Our first free webinar is entitled: The Courage to Lead.’ It’s tomorrow, Wednesday 15h April @ 6pm UAE time and includes ‘managing self and others using EI’. Click here to register: https://content.psionline.com/leadership-lounges-webinars

Thank You