Competence-Building Event

<< Skills Acquisition

"It is not about becoming more intelligent regarding emotions; it is about making emotions themselves more intelligent."

The distinction is more than a matter of terminology; it reflects a fundamentally different approach to learning.

The word course often implies a traditional educational model in which knowledge is transferred from an expert to an audience. In such settings, participants are typically expected to absorb, remember, and apply information presented by an authority figure.

The development of emotional intelligence, however, requires a different methodology. Understanding emotions, thoughts, behaviour, and human experience cannot be achieved solely through acquiring information. It requires reflection, dialogue, critical thinking, and the examination of one's own assumptions and experiences.

For this reason, the programme is designed as a workshop rather than a course. The workshop format encourages active participation, open discussion, and the exploration of ideas from multiple perspectives. Rather than relying on authority, it emphasises reasoned argument, shared inquiry, and experiential learning. Participants are invited to contribute their own insights, challenge existing viewpoints, and engage in meaningful dialogue with others.

The objective is not simply to acquire knowledge, but to develop a deeper understanding through collaborative exploration and reflection.

Let's be honest with ourselves and call a spade a spade: our understanding of emotional intelligence has reached an impasse. The concept has been stretched, diluted, and contradicted so often that even its linguistic meaning is beginning to dissolve beneath the weight of competing interpretations. What was once a powerful framework risks becoming little more than a fashionable phrase.

Yet the subject is far too important to be abandoned to the erosion of time, the complacency of convention, or the arrogance of intellectual dogma. To recover its true value, we must be willing to revisit its foundations—examining past definitions, assumptions, and orthodoxies with both rigor and humility.

Perhaps the greatest misconception lies in the very name itself. The goal is not to become more intelligent about emotions, but to make emotions themselves more intelligent—to cultivate feelings that are informed by wisdom, disciplined by self-awareness, and aligned with sound judgment.

Emotional intelligence is not the mastery of emotion through reason, nor the surrender of reason to emotion. It is the art of bringing the two into a higher form of cooperation.

These questions—and many others—will be explored throughout the workshop. Together, we will examine the historical, evolutionary, and biological foundations of the human mind's emotional instability, seeking to understand not only how emotions arise, but why they so often shape our lives in ways we neither intend nor fully comprehend.

We will critically examine prevailing models of thought formation, tracing the path from the earliest mental impulses to their eventual expression in attitudes, decisions, and behaviour. Rather than accepting inherited assumptions at face value, we will investigate the mechanisms through which thoughts gain influence and emotions acquire momentum.

Equally important, we will study practical and evidence-based approaches for cultivating greater emotional clarity and self-mastery. Participants will be introduced to a technique that has consistently demonstrated positive outcomes, providing a structured approach to engaging with thoughts and emotions more consciously and effectively.

Most importantly, this intensive journey is designed to help you discover your own patterns of thinking, observe them with greater awareness, and develop the capacity to choose how you relate to them. For true freedom begins not when thoughts disappear, but when you can recognise them, understand them, and consciously decide whether to embrace them—or simply let them pass.

This workshop is designed for anyone whose personal or professional success depends on understanding, communicating with, motivating, supporting, or leading other people.

It is particularly relevant for:

• Teachers, professors, and educators
• University students and lifelong learners
• Managers, team leaders, and executives
• Trainers, coaches, and facilitators
• Human resource professionals
• Healthcare and wellbeing practitioners
• Customer service and hospitality professionals
• Anyone seeking to strengthen their emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and interpersonal effectiveness

No prior knowledge of psychology, neuroscience, or emotional intelligence is required. The workshop is suitable for participants from diverse educational, cultural, and professional backgrounds.

Certificate: To obtain the Certificate of Attendance at the end of the course, participants must attend at least 80 % of the classes.

Schedule: During the week, classes take place in the morning. The final schedule is provided no later than 2 weeks before the participants’ arrival. The course provider may make minor last-minute changes to the schedule if necessary.

Cultural activities: Guided tours are planned. Upon arrival, participants receive a brochure listing activities and places to see.

Equipment: No special equipment is required.

Moderator: Alex N. Mars

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Demonstrate a deeper understanding of the concept of emotional intelligence, its key components, and its relevance to personal, social, and professional life.
• Critically evaluate different perspectives and approaches to the development of emotional intelligence.
• Explain the fundamental biological and neurological processes that influence emotions, thoughts, decision-making, and behaviour.
• Recognise the relationship between physiological processes, emotions, and cognitive patterns, and understand how these interactions shape human experience.
• Identify habitual thought patterns and emotional responses, and assess their impact on wellbeing, relationships, and performance.
• Apply practical self-awareness and reflective techniques to observe thoughts and emotions with greater clarity and objectivity.
• Develop enhanced emotional self-regulation skills, enabling more conscious and constructive responses to challenging situations.
• Strengthen empathy, interpersonal understanding, and the ability to communicate more effectively with others.
• Reflect on personal experiences from new perspectives and use these insights to support personal growth and lifelong learning.
• Create an individual action plan for the continued development of emotional intelligence beyond the workshop.
• Demonstrate increased confidence in applying emotional intelligence principles in educational, professional, and everyday contexts.

- Day 1 – Introduction to the course

• Welcome and participant introductions, including an opportunity for attendees to present themselves, their institutions, and their home cities and countries, fostering an international and collaborative learning environment.
• Introduction to the host organisation, followed by an exploration of Tenerife’s unique natural, cultural, and social environment, and its relevance as an inspiring setting for the study and development of emotional intelligence.
• Overview of the workshop objectives, learning outcomes, methodology, and the five-day programme schedule. Presentation of the workshop framework, discussion guidelines, and core themes that will shape the learning experience and group dialogue throughout the programme.
• Critical examination of contemporary perspectives on emotional intelligence, including its definition, significance, and the various approaches proposed for its development and enhancement. Part 1

- Day 2 – Foundations of Emotional Intelligence

• Critical examination of contemporary perspectives on emotional intelligence, including its definition, significance, and the various approaches proposed for its development and enhancement. Part 2
• Establishment of a shared conceptual foundation by identifying key principles, assumptions, and challenges associated with emotional intelligence.

- Day 3 – The Human Brain: Biological Foundations and Structural Challenges

• Introduction to the fundamental biological and structural characteristics of the human brain, providing participants with a practical understanding of how the brain influences perception, emotions, decision-making, and behaviour.
• Exploration of the dynamic relationship between mind and body, with particular emphasis on the role of neurochemistry, hormones, and physiological processes in shaping emotional states and cognitive performance.
• Examination of the origins and development of human thought, from sensory input and neural processing to belief formation, emotional responses, and behavioural expression.
• Analysis of how thoughts, emotions, and biological processes interact to influence individual behaviour, interpersonal relationships, and emotional intelligence.
• Discussion of the opportunities and limitations created by the brain’s evolutionary design, and how greater awareness of these mechanisms can support personal growth and emotional self-regulation.

- Day 4 – Developing Emotional Intelligence Through Self-Awareness and Insight

• Introduction to a practice for strengthening emotional intelligence through greater self-awareness and reflective practice.
• Exploration of the processes by which thoughts, emotions, and behavioural patterns emerge to understand internal experiences better.
• Guided exercises designed to cultivate the ability to observe thoughts objectively, recognise habitual thinking patterns, and evaluate their relevance, usefulness, and impact on emotional well-being.
• Application of reflective techniques that support the identification of limiting beliefs and unproductive thought patterns.

- Day 5 – Reflection, Integration, and Future Application

• Guided reflective exercise in which participants revisit a significant personal life experience (non-romantic) and examine it through the perspective and understanding gained during the workshop.
• Exploration of how enhanced emotional awareness, self-observation, and insight may influence the interpretation of past experiences and future responses to similar situations.
• Open discussion and question session, providing participants with the opportunity to raise the most important questions they feel remain unanswered or would benefit from further clarification.
• Consolidation of key concepts, lessons, and practical tools developed throughout the programme, with a focus on their application in everyday life, education, and professional environments.
• Anonymous workshop evaluation, enabling participants to provide feedback on the programme, assess its effectiveness, and offer recommendations for future improvements.

  Closing session and certification ceremony.

"To improve people's performance, we need to change or rather adjust their external and internal environment. Developing and cultivating emotional intelligence involves creating conditions that meet personal desires for excellence."