EI in Leadership: Understanding Executive Functioning Challenges and Mitigating Misunderstandings

Workshop Outline

Objectives for Attendees

Deepen self-awareness of emotional triggers and biases

Practice self-regulation techniques in high-pressure situations

Cultivate empathy through structured inquiry

Strengthen social-interaction skills to build psychological safety

1. Welcome and Framing

Brief introduction to workshop goals and agenda

Poll: One word that describes an empathetic leader

Overview of emotional intelligence pillars in a leadership context

2. Case Study Presentation

Profile of a high-performing project coordinator with undisclosed autism and executive functioning challenges

3. Assumption vs. Alternative

·Leaders compare their initial judgments about the coordinator’s behavior with more inclusive explanations.

4. Real-Time Empathy Prompts Brainstorm   

 Leaders co-create a toolkit of open-ended questions to surface hidden needs.

5. Action Planning and Commitment

Choose one habit to strengthen psychological safety in the workplace

6. Resources and Next Steps

Digital toolkit:

Vignette templates for ongoing practice