Leading Through Grief with Emotional Intelligence

Gina Messina, Ph.D. 03/09/2021

During COVID, we are grieving the loss of normalcy, connection, economic stability, and for some, the profound loss of a loved one. We are also dealing with anticipatory grief. We fear getting sick or dying, or seeing our loved ones suffer. We are collectively grieving with each of us responding in different ways and to different effects. As leaders, we play many roles; however, a grief counselor is generally not one of them. Nonetheless, as we’ve learned since COVID-19 forever changed our world, the ability to lead through grief is a necessary skill. The health and wellness of employees has a direct correlation to an organization’s bottom line. If you want to see your organization thrive, your employees must thrive. So how can you effectively…

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Categories: Emotional Intelligence

Tags: emotional intelligence, grief, leadership

Gina Messina, Ph.D.

Empathy Makes You a Better Leader: Here are 3 Reasons Why

Empathy makes you a better leader. In general, women are perceived to be the most “empathetic” gender, and the science says there may be some truth to that perception. One study found that women are better at feeling others’ pain; female brains react more to images or videos of a person being in pain than male brains. It turns out that high empathy is a very positive thing for women in the workplace, especially if they’re in leadership positions. A recent report by Catalyst found that, especially in the post-pandemic workplace, empathy is a critical leadership skill that influences important factors like innovation and employee satisfaction. There’s no doubt about it: empathy is a necessary skill to have as a leader. Here are 3 benefits…

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Gina Messina, Ph.D. 01/17/2022

Women in Today’s Workplace: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back?

The post-pandemic workplace is littered with uncertainty for workers in all industries, especially women. While the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic has passed, the lack of a steady workplace for women is still a prevalent problem. COVID-19 and Women’s Employment During the COVID-19 pandemic, women were 33% more likely than men to work in an industry shut down by the pandemic. Research indicated that jobs held by women were 1.8 times more vulnerable than those held by males. Women made up 39% of the employment on a global scale, but they accounted for 54% of the job losses worldwide. Economists also report that women were much more likely than men to be furloughed during the pandemic. In addition, women were furloughed for longer periods than…

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Gina Messina, Ph.D. 09/12/2022

Thriving in the Gig Economy: A Primer for Women

This post is based on a webinar hosted by Dr. Denise Reading. It’s the first in an ongoing series of workshops, webinars, and for-credit courses offered by the Institute for Women, Wellness and Work to help women explore freelancing, consulting, and solopreneur opportunities as a path to a satisfying and successful professional experience. “Gig economy” is a phrase you’ve probably heard a lot, especially in the last couple of years. It refers to the part of the workforce (more than half!) that doesn’t work full-time for one employer, but instead takes on multiple opportunities from different sources. The term got its start in the music industry. Musicians generally refer to a performance they’re hired for as a gig. That terminology has spread to other industries,…

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Institute Editorial Team 06/07/2021

Kakeibo: The Art of Financial Mindfulness

By Gina Messina, Ph.D. About a year ago, a friend introduced me to Kakeibo, the Japanese art of budgeting and applying mindfulness to our spending, and I’ve been obsessed ever since. You see, I am a major contributor to our consumeristic culture. I see something shiny and I think I have to have it. A friend jokes that she hates going shopping with me because I have to pick up and touch everything on the shelves (although I’ve eliminated that practice due to COVID!). Like so many of us, I am easily persuaded by marketing tactics. Now that we so rarely spend cash, it feels like I can simply swipe a card, click a button, or use my fingerprint and suddenly I have a new…

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Gina Messina, Ph.D. 01/24/2021

woman sitting at desk thinking, stressed, should you return to pre-pandemic job?

Is Your Pre-Pandemic Job Still Right for You?

Is Your Pre-Pandemic Job Still Right for You? The world is slowly returning back to “normal” 一 or as close to normal as things get while continuing to live with the threat of a global pandemic. And this return to “normal” has left many of us wondering: do I want to go back to exactly the way things were pre-pandemic? Here are some things to consider when weighing the pros and cons of staying at your pre-pandemic job. Many are leaving their pre-pandemic jobs As employers call workers back into the office, many people are choosing not to go back to their old jobs at all. Although a record number of open jobs are available in the U.S., hiring has gone way down. And people…

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Gina Messina, Ph.D. 10/18/2021

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