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Mastering Emotional Intelligence (1 day)
Your people learn to notice their own reactions, read other people accurately and stay composed when the pressure is on.
Most friction at work is not a skills problem. It starts when someone takes feedback personally, misreads a colleague or lets a bad morning spill into a client call. Emotional intelligence training deals with that directly: it builds the habits that let people notice what they are feeling, choose how to respond and understand what is going on for the person in front of them. Unlike personality, these skills can be learned and practised.
This one-day workshop covers the core of emotional intelligence in a single practical day. Delegates work through the five components – self-awareness, self-management, motivation, empathy and social skill – then practise the tools that make them usable: spotting triggers, pausing before reacting, listening properly, reading body language and tone, and disagreeing without damaging the relationship.
Every exercise is anchored in situations your team will recognise: the difficult client, the missed deadline, the tense meeting between departments. Delegates leave with a short personal action plan for the following month. Managers who want a deeper programme with their own emotional intelligence profile can move on to the two-day Mastering Emotional Intelligence course.
Why this course
For your organisation
- Fewer interpersonal complaints and less tension within teams
- Calmer, more professional handling of difficult customers
- Feedback conversations that improve performance instead of causing offence
- A shared language for talking about pressure and reactions
- Team leaders who set a steady tone when things go wrong
For your delegates
- Practical tools to stay composed under pressure
- Better awareness of your own triggers and blind spots
- Confidence in reading body language, tone and mood
- Ways to disagree and set boundaries while keeping the relationship
- A personal action plan for the month after the course
What delegates will be able to do
- Explain what emotional intelligence is and how it differs from IQ
- Describe the five components of emotional intelligence and rate yourself against each
- Identify your own emotional triggers and use simple techniques to regain control
- Listen actively and ask questions that show you understand the other person
- Read non-verbal signals such as posture, tone, facial expression and personal space
- Build rapport, find common ground and set clear boundaries with colleagues
- Disagree constructively and respond calmly to criticism or setbacks
- Apply emotional intelligence to teamwork, feedback and customer interactions
Who should attend
Anyone who wants to work better with other people. It is especially useful for team leaders and supervisors, customer-facing and sales staff, HR and L&D practitioners, and project teams who must work closely together under pressure. No prior training is needed; managers who want a more in-depth programme can follow it with the two-day course.
Course outline
Day 1 – Emotional intelligence in practice
What emotional intelligence is
- Emotions, what sets them off and how they drive behaviour at work
- Emotional intelligence compared with IQ
- The five components: self-awareness, self-management, motivation, empathy and social skill
- Why emotional intelligence can be learned
- Quick self-assessment against the five components
Self-awareness and self-control
- Recognising your personal emotional triggers
- Creating a pause between feeling and reacting
- Breathing techniques and stepping away for a short break
- Reflective journaling and brief mindfulness exercises
- Keeping your composure when you are under pressure
Reading people: words, tone and body language
- Active listening and asking good questions
- Choosing your words for the audience in front of you
- Body language, facial expression and eye contact
- Tone of voice and personal space
- Cultural differences in non-verbal signals in a diverse South African workplace
Managing relationships
- Building rapport and finding common ground
- Responding rather than reacting
- Showing appreciation and recognising others
- Setting boundaries politely and firmly
- Disagreeing constructively and owning your mistakes
Emotional intelligence at work
- Working as a team when deadlines are tight
- Giving and receiving feedback
- Handling upset or demanding customers
- Using emotional intelligence in interviews and goal setting
- Coping with change and setbacks
Making an impact and action plan
- First impressions and presence
- Building self-confidence through practice
- Scenario practice with facilitator feedback
- Your personal 30-day action plan
- Evaluation and close
How it is delivered
One day, 08:30-16:00. In person at your offices anywhere in South Africa, at a BOTI venue, or live online. One delegate or a group of up to 20; scenarios tailored to your workplace on request. Workbook, self-assessment and a personal action plan included. We deliver it at your offices in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Cape Town and anywhere else in South Africa, at a BOTI venue in Johannesburg, or live online for teams in different places.
What our clients say
★★★★★ 4.8 on Google from 790+ reviews · word-for-word quotes from signed letters of reference, from clients on this and/or related BOTI courses
“The training was practical, engaging and relevant to our workplace environment, providing participants with valuable knowledge and practical skills that could be applied in their respective roles.”
“The course was efficiently organized and aligned with our schedule. We were impressed by the quality of the training and the expertise of the facilitator.”
“The courses were efficiently scheduled and planned around our timetable. We were impressed by the quality of training with average overall scores of 5 out of 5.”
Frequently asked questions
Can you run this course at our offices?
Yes. Most groups are trained at the client's premises anywhere in South Africa; we can also host it at a BOTI venue or deliver it live online.
How many people can attend?
From one delegate to groups of about 20. The price per delegate drops as the group grows – see the price table, or ask us for a quote.
Is it accredited?
No. It is a non-accredited short course and delegates receive a BOTI certificate of attendance.
Can the scenarios reflect our own workplace?
Yes. Share two or three typical situations beforehand – a demanding client, a tense handover between shifts – and the facilitator builds them into the practice sessions.
What is the difference between the one-day and the two-day course?
The one-day course covers the core skills and tools in a single practical day. The two-day Mastering Emotional Intelligence programme is aimed at managers: it goes deeper into self-esteem, confidence and locus of control, analyses emotional intelligence in working relationships and ends with each delegate's own profile and development plan.
Can you run this course in Johannesburg, Cape Town or Durban?
Yes. We train on site at your offices in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Cape Town and across South Africa, at a BOTI venue in Johannesburg, or live online so a team spread over several offices can attend together.
Related courses
Ask a consultant for a written quote
A BOTI consultant emails you a written quote, usually within 15 minutes (Mon–Fri, 08:00–17:00). After hours, we reply on the next working day. To speak to someone now, call 011 882 8853.
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