Emotional Intelligence for First Time Managers
Designed for Pharma Colleagues who are now people managers for the first time to spark real collaboration and high-energy learning.
Session should be interactive as the audience will be mix of managers who are 30+ and 40+
Who’s the Real Emotion Expert?
Kick off the session with a mystery challenge by showing three short anonymized manager email replies: one is emotionally skilled, one is emotionally tone-deaf, and one is neutral. Ask the group to guess which one helped their team most.
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Why this works
Spark curiosity and highlight real behaviors, pushing learners to make predictions and confront their assumptions before the reveal.
Emotional Myths in Pharma—True or False?
Bust common myths about emotional intelligence using provocative, pharma-specific statements that managers often hear. Quick individual voting before the group reveals the truth.
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Why this works
Exposing misconceptions gets everyone thinking and surfaces hidden biases, making learning more memorable.
Emoji Check-in: Manager Moments
Let everyone select an emoji that represents their emotion as a first-time manager during a tough pharma moment, like navigating a late drug launch or addressing a team conflict.
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Why this works
Low-pressure entry—everyone participates without writing or speaking much, giving introverts and extroverts a safe way to share.
Rapidfire Reactions: Manager Dilemmas
Activate the room with fast-paced reactions to real pharma management dilemmas. Everyone votes instantly on tough choices, seeing live group patterns.
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Why this works
Active participation boosts energy and lets managers see their own habits compared to peers, fueling great follow-up discussion.
Tough Trade-Off: The Manager’s Choice
Present a realistic pharma-specific dilemma. Groups must choose: Should you prioritize empathy with a stressed employee or push for performance when a drug launch is behind schedule?
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Why this works
Debating real choices anchors learning in practical stakes, helping managers understand emotional intelligence as an actual leadership skill.
Personal Manager Timeline
Ask participants to quickly sketch a timeline of their most emotionally challenging manager moment in pharma—from what triggered the event to their response and its outcome—then pair up to compare.
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Why this works
Active reflection deepens learning and personalizes emotional intelligence, leading to higher transfer into real behavior.
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