Emotional intelligence is a fundamental skill to be able to relate adaptively with others, in addition to having a very positive impact on different areas of life, such as family and work.
Although promoting this type of intelligence is seen as something that can only be achieved during childhood, the truth is that There are emotional intelligence games for adults all of them fun and that help to acquire deep emotional self-knowledge.
Below we will see several of them, their particular objectives, who you can work with and the steps to follow.
Recommended emotional intelligence games for adults
Next we will learn 10 interesting emotional intelligence games for adults, ideal for working in work contexts or in university education.
1. The attributes
The objective of this game is show that the multiple qualities of the members of a group represent advantages for the group as a whole.
This activity is brief, requiring no more than half an hour to do. No materials are needed, although if you want, you can use paper and pens to write down what you say. The space can be a room or office.
Steps to follow
The game consists of asking the participants to highlight two or three qualities from the rest. For example, if it is done in an office, you will be asked to describe the qualities of your colleagues and the boss. It should be said that, in this case, you have to be careful with how you say things, more than anything to avoid losing your job.
A great advantage of this emotional intelligence exercise is that, for example, the bosses and workers of a company are aware of the wealth of strengths of the members of the group, and that this can have a very positive impact on the achievement of the objectives. .
For example, having a good sense of humor may not be essential when producing a product, but it is can help when a critical moment has occurred or there has been an incident in the organization that has lowered morale.
2. The office soundtrack
The objective of this task is describe how workers feel in different work spaces. With this, it is about discovering uncomfortable situations or situations that awaken negative emotions that can have a negative impact, both on productivity and on the work environment.
To do this activity it will require one hour. The group you work with should be medium, between 15 or 20 people, although the ideal is that the smaller it is, the better. Regarding materials, you will need sheets of paper, pens and something to play music.
Steps to follow
Before starting the activity, it is necessary that different pieces of music have been selected, each of which has styles that evoke different emotions (joy, stress, boredom, fun, anger…). The employees and the boss will listen to the musical pieces, writing down, each one and for themselves, what work situations they evoke in them.
After listening to the songs, the facilitator will play, again, each piece of music, but this time leaving a while between songs so that everyone can talk about what work situation it evokes for them, what makes them feel that way and how they believe that could improve it, in case it arouses negative emotions.
After listening to the topics and explaining one by one the situation at work that reminds them, the group is asked Have them compose in pairs the ideal company soundtrack and describe the difference between how their workspace ‘sounds’ and how their workspace ‘should sound’.
3. The star of balance
This activity is intended to make participants see the influence of others’ relationships, which can maintain or harm our emotional stability.
It can be done with a group of about 10 people, lasting between 15 and 20 minutes, and no materials are required. What is necessary to take into account is that, If the group is very large, a large space will be required, since we are going to form a circle.
Steps to follow
On this occasion it is not necessary for the dynamizer to enter the dynamics. But it may be necessary if we are few people. We have the participants stand in a circle and we assign a number to each one, like this: one, two, one, two.
Participants hold hands until the circle is tense. Next, and without letting go, the people who have been given the one take a step forward, while the people with the two take a step back.
This must be done slowly, to be able to find balance and without accidents. Once the balance is found, you just have to let time pass for the participants to realize how this balance of forces works.
The participants take steps again but, this time, inverted. That is, those in 1 take steps backward and those in 2 forward, and so on.
Once the game is over, we give way to reflection. Participants should have gained some understanding of the need to work as a team and to be empathetic and cooperative with others in order to maintain balance.
At once, This balance comes to represent our emotional stability which can be affected by the actions of others but, at the same time, can also be maintained with the help of other people.
4. Art-therapy
This dynamic aims to represent, plastically, emotions. That is to say, express visually what each person feels or understands with a certain emotion.
The time required is about 40 minutes or an hour. The size of the group is indifferent because it is done individually, although the sharing is collective. Artistic materials will be needed, such as papers, paints, pencils, tempera…
Steps to follow
The facilitator begins the activity by explaining that we all have the same word to refer to joy, sadness and anger, among other emotions. However, what our mind feels, how we represent it in our psychic world, is something that varies from person to person.
The intention of the activity is to make each person represent, in a visual, artistic and free way, anger, sadness, loneliness, fear, joy and any other emotion that comes to mind. It is very important to emphasize that they should use the colors with which they associate those emotions, in addition to representing the emotions with the figures that they suggest.
This activity, at first, may seem a bit childish, but the truth is that it is widely used in therapeutic contexts. Releasing the internal world through art can be one of the best ways to relax in addition to gaining greater knowledge of our emotional world.
At the end of the dynamic, what each person has painted will be shared, highlighting why they have used one or more colors, why they have used specific shapes and, if they have used the figure of an animal, person or object, What meaning does it have for him? Additionally, you can try to understand if any past experience has influenced the way the emotion in question has been represented.
5. Champion or chump
The objective of this game is highlight the impact that the leader or boss has on the appearance of certain emotions, both positive and negative, in their subordinates enhancing both the self-knowledge of workers and the social relationships between them.
You can work with medium groups, of about 15 to 20 people. The space can be the same office or a workplace, and papers and pens will be needed as materials.
Steps to follow
Employees put on paper those behaviors of their boss that made them feel important, such as giving positive references about the worker to other managers, informing them of a business decision, a pat on the back and telling them that they had done a good job…
Also, below this point, They should write down the moments in which they felt excluded or belittled such as not being listened to in meetings, not being taken into account for an important or new project, a situation in which they were ignored in a bad way…
Finally, each worker presents his cases and explains how he felt, both good and bad, when the boss did what he did. Besides, each will comment on how this influenced their way of working at the time it happened.
6. The dictionary of emotions
The objective of this activity is to catalog the emotions we experience, in addition to promoting teamwork. This task will take a lot of time and it can even be done long term, in several sessions or working on it as a kind of emotional but fun homework.
Group size can be very varied. The important thing is that there is trust between them and that the participants feel comfortable talking about their emotions. That is, it is an activity that must be applied in groups that already have a certain history of coexistence.
The space, if worked on at the moment, must be one in which teamwork is allowed, without having many obstacles in the way. As for materials, you will need notebooks, pens or, if you prefer to save paper, you can use a digital medium.
Steps to follow
The person in charge of directing the activity will explain that, of the emotions, the easiest part is to feel them, even if it is difficult. What is really difficult is defining it.
Sometimes we can’t clarify exactly what we feel because of anger, sadness or joy given that the causes of emotion and the way in which the person experiences it are very varied, depending on the context and the personality characteristics of the individual.
That is why it will be proposed to write a dictionary of emotions written by the participants, both in groups and individually. These emotions must be very specific, explaining how they arise, when they feel them and what they do to maintain them or stop feeling them, depending on whether they are positive or negative.
Participants should speak with confidence, reflecting on what they feel and what they have felt. At the same time, The facilitator, to facilitate the activity, will propose different emotions, which must be defined in writing and giving examples of each one.
In the end, when the dictionary has been finished, what has been written will be shared. The descriptions will be compared and emphasis will be placed on the emotions derived from the main ones that the participants have exemplified.
7. Aligned values
The objective of this dynamic, ideal for work environments, is know what values the company, management and staff share, and see to what extent they bring the organization closer to success.
Steps to follow
If a company, its management and its staff share the same values, then it will be much easier to achieve success. The question is, How do you know if these values are aligned?
A good way to find out is, directly, by asking the parties involved. Each assistant is asked to write down the five values they consider to be most important to the leader or boss, the five most important to the assistants, and the five most important to the company.
Once everyone has done their part, The lists of values are compared to discover and debate those that really share and those that differ between the three groups.
8. You are worth it!
The objective of this emotional intelligence game is to demonstrate the Pygmalion effect. In short, this effect consists of how one person’s belief about what another person is capable of doing influences the second person’s performance.
The time needed to carry out this activity will be around half an hour, working with a group of about 20 people in a space large enough to allow interaction between participants.
The necessary materials will be sheets of paper, pens, some coins and a piece of cardboard with a circle painted in the middle.
Steps to follow
The person in charge of the activity will ask for two volunteers to come out. These volunteers will leave the room or place, while the game will be explained to the rest of the group.
The group will be divided into two. In group 1, the first volunteer should be encouraged and motivated, while the second will be treated differently. Group 2 will act neutrally towards the first volunteer, and try to discourage the second.
The first volunteer enters and is asked to throw the coins, trying to get them into the cardboard circle, which will be about two meters away. The second volunteer will have to do the same.
The idea is to see how the motivational messages said by group 1 to the first volunteer, and the discouragement messages said to the second volunteer by group 2, will influence the performance of both, one positively and the other negatively.
Once the activity is done, the Pygmalion effect will be explained to them, making them reflect on how the messages of others can influence our abilities, no matter how expert or not we are in it. Motivating someone can cause them to overcome their own limitations, while discouraging them can cause them to fail even at tasks at which they are skilled.
9. Use metaphors
The objective of this activity is learn to express the emotions we feel in different aspects of life using metaphors.
It will take about 45 minutes and you can work with a medium-sized group. There is also the option to work with someone individually. The space must be enabled so that everyone can work individually.
Steps to follow
The facilitator will ask each of the participants to select an area of their life on which they would like to reflect. These areas can be work, family, leisure, friendships, health…
Each one will have to think about anecdotes from the selected field, in addition to explaining what emotions they generate.
Afterwards, they should think about what image they think the people who are part of that area have about themselves. For example, if one of them has selected the family, they should think about what they think their parents, siblings, children… think about him or her.
10. Where are we?
This activity aims to develop improvisation and gestural expression skills, as well as creativity and recognition of the emotional complexity of different situations.
The time needed to carry out this activity is an hour or an hour and a half. You will need a large room and you can work with large groups, but keep in mind that they will be subdivided.
Steps to follow
The first step is to divide the group into subgroups, as many as are considered necessary. It is preferable that they be groups with four or five members.
Each of the subgroups, privately and without the others knowing, will be told a situation to represent. The situations chosen must involve a high emotional content, such as a fight between two co-workers, being cut in line at the supermarket, trying to flirt at a nightclub and being beaten up…
Once the situations to be represented have been said, each of the groups will plan it for about five or ten minutes, agreeing on the details of the action and the roles that the four or five members will play. When everyone is ready, each group will represent the situation they have been given, and the others must try to guess it.
Once the performances are over, It is proposed to hold a debate in which each member of the group can express what they felt while they were performing their role if it reminded you of a situation that you previously experienced, if there has been any type of inconvenience when presenting the roles and if there have been discrepancies when planning the scene.
Emotional Intelligence (EI) is the ability to understand, use, and manage emotions in positive ways to relieve stress, communicate effectively, empathize with others, overcome challenges, and defuse conflict. In adulthood, EI is crucial for personal and professional success. One innovative approach to enhancing EI is through games designed to develop emotional skills in a fun and engaging way.
Understanding Emotional Intelligence
Components of Emotional Intelligence
EI comprises several components:
Self-Awareness: Recognizing one’s emotions and their impact.
Self-Regulation: Managing emotions healthily.
Motivation: Using emotions to drive towards goals.
Empathy: Understanding and sharing the feelings of others.
Social Skills: Managing relationships to move people in desired directions.
Benefits of High EI
High EI can lead to:
Better communication and relationships.
Enhanced leadership abilities.
Greater mental health and resilience.
Improved conflict resolution skills.
Challenges in Developing EI
Developing EI can be challenging due to:
Lack of awareness or understanding.
Resistance to change.
Difficulty in recognizing one’s emotional patterns.
Types of Emotional Intelligence Games
Role-Playing Games
Role-playing games simulate real-life scenarios, helping participants practice empathy, conflict resolution, and active listening.
Group Discussion Games
Group discussion games encourage open communication and emotional expression. Examples include Emotion Charades, The Emotion Wheel, and Storytelling Circles.
Reflection and Mindfulness Games
These games focus on self-awareness and emotional regulation through journaling prompts, guided meditation, and gratitude exercises.
Interactive Online Games
There are various apps and online platforms dedicated to building EI. Virtual reality experiences also offer immersive environments for practicing emotional skills.
Role-Playing Games
Empathy Exercises
Participants take turns sharing experiences while others practice empathic listening, trying to understand and reflect back the emotions involved.
Conflict Resolution Scenarios
Groups are given scenarios involving conflict and must role-play to resolve the issues using healthy communication and empathy.
Active Listening Activities
Participants pair up and take turns speaking and listening. The listener must accurately paraphrase and reflect the speaker’s emotions and message.
Group Discussion Games
Emotion Charades
Players act out emotions without speaking while others guess the emotion being portrayed, enhancing emotional recognition skills.
The Emotion Wheel
Participants spin a wheel with different emotions and share personal stories related to the emotion landed on, fostering emotional expression and understanding.
Storytelling Circles
In a circle, participants share stories that highlight emotional experiences, promoting empathy and connection among group members.
Reflection and Mindfulness Games
Journaling Prompts
Participants write about their feelings and experiences using specific prompts designed to encourage emotional reflection and self-awareness.
Guided Meditation
Guided meditation sessions focus on identifying and regulating emotions, promoting inner calm and emotional balance.
Gratitude Exercises
Participants list things they are grateful for, which helps shift focus from negative to positive emotions, enhancing emotional well-being.
Interactive Online Games
Apps for Building EI
Various apps offer exercises and activities aimed at improving different aspects of EI, from self-awareness to social skills.
Online Platforms with EI Activities
Websites and platforms provide a range of activities, including quizzes, videos, and interactive scenarios to build EI.
Virtual Reality EI Experiences
Virtual reality offers immersive environments where participants can practice emotional responses in simulated real-world situations.
Implementing EI Games in the Workplace
Benefits for Team Dynamics
EI games in the workplace can improve team cohesion, communication, and overall productivity by fostering a better understanding among team members.
Examples of Workplace EI Games
Team Empathy Mapping: Teams map out each other’s emotional states and discuss how to support one another.
Emotion Charades: Adapted for workplace scenarios to help employees understand and express workplace-related emotions.
Tips for Facilitators
Facilitators should create a safe and supportive environment, encourage open communication, and provide constructive feedback to participants.
EI Games for Social Settings
Games for Friends and Family Gatherings
Games like Emotion Charades and The Emotion Wheel can be played at social gatherings to enhance emotional connections among friends and family.
Social Events and Parties
Incorporating EI games into parties and social events can make them more meaningful and engaging, promoting deeper interactions.
Community Group Activities
Community groups can use EI games to build stronger, more empathetic communities. Activities like Storytelling Circles foster a sense of shared experience and understanding.
Case Studies and Success Stories
Personal Testimonials
Individuals often report significant improvements in their emotional understanding and relationships after regularly playing EI games.
Organizational Success Stories
Organizations that implement EI games frequently see enhanced teamwork, better employee satisfaction, and reduced conflict.
Research Findings on EI Games
Studies have shown that engaging in EI activities can lead to measurable improvements in emotional skills, supporting their effectiveness.
Emotional intelligence games are a powerful tool for developing essential emotional skills in a fun and engaging way. Whether used in personal settings, the workplace, or social events, these games can help individuals and groups build better relationships, improve communication, and foster a deeper understanding of emotions. By incorporating a variety of EI games into your routine, you can enhance your emotional intelligence and enjoy the benefits that come with it.
FAQs
What is the best game for developing empathy?
Empathy exercises, where participants practice listening and reflecting on others’ emotions, are particularly effective for developing empathy.
How often should one play EI games to see benefits?
Playing EI games regularly, at least once a week, can lead to noticeable improvements in emotional skills over time.
Can EI games be adapted for virtual meetings?
Yes, many EI games can be adapted for virtual settings, such as online versions of Emotion Charades or virtual guided meditations.
Are there any age restrictions for EI games?
While most EI games are designed for adults, they can often be adapted for younger audiences with appropriate modifications.
How do I measure improvement in EI?
Improvements in EI can be measured through self-assessment, feedback from others, and observing changes in behavior and emotional responses.
