Emotional intelligence accounts for more than 50 percent of a person’s leadership capacity. In 2011, Stan Dueck, the Church of the Brethren’s director for Transforming Practices, completed the certification process in “Emotional Intelligence with Multiple Health Services.” Emotional intelligence is an important companion to a pastor’s or church leader’s spiritual foundation, especially while serving congregations during this time of profound change for many churches, he reports.
Emotional intelligence is an awareness of the interaction between a person and the environment in which he or she operates. Emotional intelligence is a set of personal and social skills that influence how we relate with others, cope with challenges, and achieve our potential.
Dueck’s training supports Congregational Life Ministries’ expanding capacity to utilize reliable resources that help church leaders identify key skills and growth potential. Emotional intelligence surveys such as the EQ-i2.0 and EQ 360 benefit an individual’s understanding of how he or she interacts within various personal and vocational contexts along with insightful feedback from others. This, in turn, can lead to increases in the person’s interaction with others and leadership potential when used as a development tool.
Coaching along with leadership resources pertaining to emotional intelligence are one of several instruments and strategies available to pastors and church members through Congregational Life Ministries and the office of Transforming Practices. Dueck has used EI resources when coaching pastors and church leaders and in consultations and leadership training events with congregations.
Contact Stan Dueck for more information about the benefits you and your congregation can receive from coaching and leadership resources: 717-335-3226, 800-323-8039, sdueck@brethren.org .