By Richard Moreno
meetings and trying to set boundaries between work and personal time. “Having empathy for others during a pandemic is really a true sign of leadership. Leaders are able to adapt and connect with their employees,” he explained. “When you’re able to understand what other people are feeling and communicate that effectively
A crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic is the perfect time to utilize emotional intelligence in your life or in your working environment, according to Anderson Parks, a marketing and management professor at CWU-Lynnwood. “When you think about emotional intelligence, the components of it are foundational in a way that can help you manage through something like the current pandemic in a healthy way,” Parks said. “It helps you deal with those kinds of events that you don’t have control over, while at the same time staying grounded and knowing who you are and what your values are.” During the pandemic, there have been challenges for every employee, Parks said, particularly regarding remote work, which for some has involved a plethora of Zoom-style
to other people, with a genuine offer to help, that builds very strong and authentic bonds.”
“He [Parks] taught me that you can always find something positive in every situation. It is easy to forget to live your life during the pandemic. But I now have the skills to identify my emotions
and find ways to get my life back.” HANNAH SMITH ('21)
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