Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their very own.
As a management improvement researcher and marketing consultant, I are typically intrigued however skeptical once I hear tales about portray as crew constructing or writing poetry to reinforce management efficiency. I then discovered the work of Dr. Michelle Williams, who makes use of one thing referred to as “Expressive Arts” to assist leaders and their groups enhance their emotional intelligence for enhanced crew efficiency and wellness.
I realized that Expressive Arts goes past portray and poetry to incorporate a variety of modalities comparable to motion, visible arts, writing, sound and music, drama and imagery. Participation in these actions work together in what the late Natalie Rogers referred to as the Artistic Connection, resulting in enhanced self-awareness, private progress, emotional intelligence and creativity. Members have praised these strategies for serving to them navigate advanced feelings surrounding their work life, achieve readability about profession selections, and suppose extra creatively.
Expressive Arts is a strong choice for leaders to realize a protected outlet to course of emotions that would in any other case result in burnout and lowered effectiveness.
By integrating Expressive Arts into management improvement, leaders can develop the self-awareness and emotional intelligence on the coronary heart of empowering management types comparable to conscious management, genuine management and transformational management. These types are identified for valued organization-level outcomes starting from enhanced belief to improved efficiency and decision-making.
In keeping with Williams, the chief’s well-being is the cornerstone of efficient crew administration as a result of it straight influences their means to take care of emotional stability, make sound selections and talk clearly. When leaders prioritize their very own well-being, they create a constructive surroundings that fosters belief, collaboration and productiveness inside their groups.
Associated: The Thriving Chief: Steps to Psychological Wellness and Peak Effectiveness
Because of this, Williams makes a speciality of facilitating Expressive Arts experiences for leaders and their groups. She believes that when leaders mannequin vulnerability and creativity, their crew members are impressed to do the identical.
In flip, everybody beneficial properties extra entry to their very own and one another’s skills, insights and potentialities. Understanding one another’s experiences and feelings results in higher crew cohesion, belief and a extra supportive work surroundings, in the end driving organizational success.
Williams outlined three practices to assist leaders develop their expertise and improve their crew’s wellness by way of Expressive Arts:
1. Establish your artistic outlet and set an everyday time for artistic actions
Begin by figuring out a artistic exercise that resonates with you. This may very well be something from portray, writing, or enjoying a musical instrument. The secret’s to decide on one thing that permits you to specific your self freely, whether or not that entails journaling, doodling or conserving an artwork journal.
To include Expressive Arts in your crew, dedicate particular occasions in your crew’s schedule for these actions. Whatever the particular actions or timing, consistency is vital for reaping the advantages of artistic exploration. Williams sometimes works with groups over a 6-month interval, assembly with them for a 3-hour month-to-month session.
Associated: How Entrepreneurial Creativity Results in Innovation
2. Crystallize new insights
Participating in artistic processes helps you faucet into your unconscious ideas and feelings. Due to this fact, after participating within the artistic exercise, it’s important to order time to mirror on what was created and what ideas, feelings and insights it stirred.
This reflection interval permits individuals to show their entry to the unconscious into deeper, actionable insights into their motivations, strengths and areas for progress. This course of may be tremendously enhanced if, following the reflection interval, a gaggle dialogue is held the place crew members share their creations and insights gained.
This step converts particular person expertise into crew bonding and collective data, resulting in potential takeaways. The group dialogue additionally builds empathy and understanding, serving to crew members higher recognize one another’s vulnerabilities and strengths.
Associated: How Enhancing Workforce Dynamics Boosts Office Effectivity
3. Create actionable takeaways
The ultimate step is changing the insights gained individually and collectively into actionable targets, techniques and improvement plans. Every crew member and the group as an entire ought to have a set of targets and plans, which ensures that the Expressive Arts session yields substantive outcomes and progress for the crew. This train additionally helps hyperlink private progress with skilled targets, aligning particular person aspirations with crew targets and boosting motivation and efficiency.
Embedding Expressive Arts practices into your crew’s routine can create a dynamic and cohesive work surroundings the place creativity and emotional intelligence drive efficiency and innovation. Moreover, you will need to keep in mind that management isn’t just about managing others — it is about nurturing your self to guide successfully.
Integrating artistic practices into your management routine enhances your self-awareness and emotional intelligence, that are essential for private and crew success. Embrace this holistic method to management, make it part of your crew’s life collectively, and watch your crew meet and exceed its potential.
