Today, I had the privilege of teaching a group of young Chinese students at Oxford. One of the key areas we discussed was the art of interviewing. To illustrate my points, I shared a personal story from my early career, which left a lasting impression on both me and my students.
The Interview ExperienceWhen I was a young aspirant eager to break into the advertising industry, I landed an interview with one of the largest agencies in the world. It was a grueling process, consisting of eight interviews in a single day. Most of the interviews went smoothly, and I felt confident—until the very last one.

As I entered the final interviewer’s office, I found him in the midst of a heated phone conversation. He was shouting, cursing, and clearly agitated. After slamming down the phone, he looked at me and curtly said, “Speak.” Instantly, I knew this interaction was going to be different. I thought to myself, “I’m not going to lower myself to his level.” The interview ended quickly, leaving a bitter taste in my mouth.
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A Twist of FateFast forward 15 years, I was now in a senior position at McCann, responsible for interviewing chief executives for the combined firms we had acquired. During one such dinner with a prospective CEO, I had a startling realization—I knew this man. It was the same person who had treated me so poorly during that fateful interview years ago.
Teaching MomentI posed two questions to my students:

1. Did I reveal my identity to him?
   • The students unanimously responded, “No.”
2. Did I offer him the job?
   • Again, they shouted, “No.”

They were correct on both counts.
Key Takeaways

1. Maintain High Standards: Never lower your standards to meet others where they are. Always strive to maintain your professionalism and integrity, regardless of the situation.
2. Emotional Intelligence in Leadership: Leaders must possess emotional intelligence and a generous spirit. Without these qualities, they are unfit to lead others.

ConclusionThis experience underscores the importance of emotional intelligence and maintaining high personal standards, especially in leadership roles. It's a lesson I hope my students will carry with them as they embark on their own professional journeys.
Remember, true leadership is not just about authority; it’s about empathy, respect, and the ability to uplift those around you.

1. Not considering the learners' prior knowledge or experience: It is important to understand the learners' background and tailor the game accordingly to ensure that it is not too difficult or too easy for them.
2. Focusing too heavily on the game aspect: While the game element is important, it should not detract from the learning objectives. The game should be used as a tool to engage learners and enhance their understanding of the material.
3. Not providing clear instructions or objectives: Learners should understand what is expected of them and how the game is related to the learning objectives.
4. Neglecting to assess or evaluate learning: The game should be used as a tool to assess learning and provide feedback to the learners. It is important to evaluate whether the game is helping learners reach the desired learning outcomes.
5. Not providing adequate support for learners: Gamified learning can be challenging for some learners, so it is important to provide support and guidance to help them succeed. This can include providing tutorials, walkthroughs, or other resources to help learners understand the game and the learning objectives.

Visit www.eigames.com and explore the resources available to help you create effective and engaging learning experiences for your students."

Gamified learning is more effective than traditional forms of learning because it allows for greater autonomy, allowing learners to make choices and take control of their own learning experience, which can lead to increased engagement and motivation. Gamified learning also allows for immediate feedback, giving learners a sense of progress and accomplishment. This can help them set and achieve goals and make the learning experience more enjoyable.

Another advantage of gamified learning is that it can make complex and abstract concepts more tangible and accessible by creating a sense of context and relevance through the use of game mechanics and storytelling.
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Lastly, gamified learning can also be used to create a sense of community, as learners can collaborate, compete, and share achievements with others, which can foster a sense of belonging and engagement.

Emotional Intelligence (EQ), or the ability to recognize and understand emotions, and then use that information to guide decision making. Emotionally Intelligent individuals understand that every emotion, even the quote-unquote “negative emotions” have their value. Every emotion provides data and a greater self-awareness that allows one to have a more dynamic thought process. 
    

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We hope these tips will help you maintain balance in your life and help you flourish both in and out of the work environment. 

​Are you ready to learn more about Emotional Intelligence and how it can benefit you and the people you work with? Check out our course on Team Building to help coworkers grow along with you!

“We are incredibly honored to have our work recognized on such an international stage against impressive competition,” remarked E.I. Games founder and CEO, Karl Allen, “This validates our Emotional Intelligent approach to Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Social Justice and celebrates the efforts of our friends across the Miami LGBTQIA+ community who participated in this work.”

But how did we do it? What does it take to create a great product that can act as a training guide for corporate employees?

The E.I. Games Diversity and Awareness Project launched in 2018. Our Diversity and Awareness game took extensive and careful research to craft an interactive experience that was reflective of actual real-life experiences, was relatable and truly resonated with each personality and experience level of the potential player. Our efforts were recognized by the Miami New Times for the participation of Miami’s LGBTQA+ community in its creation.

S.E.A.S. Model
We knew exactly where to start - the S.E.A.S model. The two-part course is based on the S.E.A.S model, an emotional intelligent approach to diversity, inclusion and equity practices and divided into four elements:​

​Self-Consciousness - Understanding who you are. 
Empathy- placing yourself in someone else's shoes. 
Accountability- Committing yourself to concrete actions. 
Solidarity- Courageous in your support and celebration of others. 

This Game helps corporations and aspiring professionals realize their own bias’ as well as the importance of diversity in the workplace through open education and conversation about sensitive topics. Whereas efforts in the past focused on racial and gender diversity in the workplace, the contemporary organization must take into account areas of identity that were not focused on before. Inclusion shines the spotlight on the meaningful ways members of an organization participate in their day to day, while equity realizes that power, responsibility, and consequences need to be leveled out within an organization. 
What’s Next - E.I. Games Elevate Program
We are proud of the incredible work we’ve done - be we’re not finished. We feel that our Diversity, Inclusion and Equity is incredibly important and could be even more impactful as part of a well-rounded program. As we look to the future, take in feedback from our industry peers and clients, we have decided to move forward with our brand new program - ELEVATE. Elevate combines the following E.I. Games courses:

• Leadership (Course + Simulation)
• Diversity, Inclusion & Equity (Course + Simulation)
• Communication Skills (Course + Simulation)

While each of these stand alone courses are worthwhile independently, we believe the combination is the ultimate learning and development program. Visit eigames.com/elevate-program to learn more about how these three courses taken over 90 days can transform your EQ potential!
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