The ability to perceive, interpret, demonstrate, control, evaluate, and use emotions to communicate with and relate to others effectively and constructively can be summed up as emotional intelligence.
Undoubtedly it’s characteristics clearly attest to a mind of balance, thus; the questions, what are the benefits of a balanced mind towards our society and how can emotional intelligence increase the potential of an individual?
Some experts suggest that emotional intelligence is more important than IQ for success in life.
In order to understand this better, Dreams Talks sat with the Founder of Tafaka Mindset, Mensah Houinsou, a Mindfulness Trainer and a Certified Emotional Intelligence Practitioner.
The Tafaka mindset is an initiative intent on providing rock-solid foundations in awakening people to their real potential through their mastery of soft skills.
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Dreams Talks: First, we’d like to know, who is an Emotional Intelligence Practitioner, why is he important to today’s society ?
Mensah Houinsou: A Certified EQ Practitioner helps people develop and use their emotional intelligence so as to be balanced individuals who harness their capacity fully. In fact, emotional intelligence is the ability that people have to blend their thinking and emotions to make optimal decisions; it plays a tremendous role in knowing oneself better and nurturing fruitful and positive relationships.
Dream Talks: What is a perfect example of a “Tafaka Mindset” ?
Mensah Houinsou: Individuals who participate in our programs become full fledged educated beings as they improve their soft skills; especially they hone their cognitive, social, and emotional skills, behaviors, and personal qualities. Those qualities empower them to navigate their environment, relate well with others, perform well, and achieve their dreams and goals; they contribute tremendously in helping them shape their future the way they want and succeed personally and professionally.
Dream Talks: How has the journey been thus far? Have there been significant success stories?
Mensah Houinsou: Since we began the journey in 2020, we have had the opportunity to test our innovative model several times with the aim to improve it and adapt to the reality of our target audience. Thus, we have tested it in several programs with organizations like Epitech Benin, DagriVest, the University of Abomey Calavi, Unicef Benin, Go4Steam in Senegal etc., with hundreds of individuals. We now have a proven model accessible online and ready to be deployed on a larger scale.
Dream Talks: What challenges have the programs faced ?
Mensah Houinsou: We faced and continue facing some challenges amongst which are;
– Difficulty to develop the technology: Our model is based on the combination of education technology and smart science to produce the desired result. To make that possible we needed to develop a technology which does not exist before as no such template existed before. This required the building of an innovative system thus more time and a specific type of expertise.
– Difficulty to build a strong and effective team: we are a small team currently working to achieve the goals and objectives of the venture.
– The novelty of the model clashes somewhat with the African culture: Many african citizens still feel reluctant to embrace digital products, and let alone soft skills related products.
– Lack of fund: We are facing some difficulties to access funding to build the venture to the level where it can begin to take care of itself.
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Dream Talks: Does the Program have a target audience ?
Mensah Houinsou: Our target audience includes: Individuals, Organizations, Universities and Colleges, Youth development programs.
Dream Talks: Is Tafaka mindset a non-profit ? If not, what is its source of revenue?
Mensah Houinsou: Takafa Mindset is a for profit venture solving a social problem. Our source of revenue comes from the fees that our clients pay to participate in our programs.
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Dream Talks: What is the program’s objectives and long terms goals?
Mensah Houinsou:Our programs aim fundamentally to make up for the lack of effective training on soft skills that exists in most education systems in developing countries. Specifically we aim to contribute in;
– Training mentally and emotionally sound students capable of crafting their career path successfully and with ease and confidence
– Training professionals and entrepreneurs capable of building positive organizations by reaching the peak of their performance, and capable of creating conducive workplaces for their colleagues to thrive mentally and emotionally so as to reach the peak of their performance.
– Training young people that are able to be in sync with the challenges facing their various communities and who are mentally and emotionally equipped to provide the best solutions possible towards tackling the social, economic, political, and environmental issues facing Africa and the world.