About Insights

The Elephant in the Room

A practical introduction to emotional intelligence through the science of the brain

The Elephant in the Room is a six-hour interactive programme designed to bring emotional intelligence to life through a clear, evidence-based understanding of how the brain works — and why that matters for performance.

Rooted in neuroscience and behavioural science, the programme explores how our brains shape the way we think, feel, and behave — often without us realising it. By understanding these mechanisms, participants begin to recognise long-established patterns in their own thinking and behaviour, and learn practical ways to redirect energy and attention toward more constructive and productive outcomes.

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What the Programme Covers

Through discussion, live exercises, and case studies, participants explore:

  • How the brain functions and where its limitations lie

  • The neuroscience behind emotion, memory, and behaviour

  • The distinction between conscious awareness and operating on autopilot

  • How patterns formed over a lifetime influence decisions, relationships, and performance

  • How to recognise and influence those patterns to create lasting behavioural change

  • The programme draws on the Rider and Elephant analogy and EdgeEQ’s Thoughts–Feelings–Behaviour and Personal System models, providing a structured framework for self-understanding and self-influence.

Individual Understanding, Collective Impact

The journey begins with the individual. Sustainable change starts with self-awareness — understanding your own “elephant” before trying to influence others.

However, when this work is done collectively, the impact is multiplied. As individuals within a team develop awareness and experiment with new patterns, they also experience one another’s change in real time. This shared growth leads to:

  • Stronger communication and collaboration

  • More constructive emotional climates

  • Greater access to the logical and creative capabilities of the prefrontal cortex

  • Higher engagement, adaptability, and overall performance

Delivery and Structure

The programme consists of six hours of interactive learning, delivered virtually or in person.

  • Flexible format: one hour per week, two hours per week, or as a single-day workshop

  • Interactive design: combining live facilitation, group discussion, and practical application

  • Optional extensions: targeted workshops or follow-up sessions addressing specific themes such as confidence, feedback, communication, or resilience

The experience combines core neuroscience education with practical exercises and live case studies drawn from real organisations and leadership contexts.

Why It Works

Developing emotional intelligence is not a quick fix. It is a learned capability that evolves through understanding, experimentation, and practice.
The Elephant in the Room provides a structured, intellectually rigorous entry point for organisations that are serious about building lasting emotional intelligence — not just awareness.

By helping individuals understand how the brain really works and how to work with it more effectively, the programme creates measurable shifts in awareness, behaviour, and performance across teams and functions.

Suitable For

  • Senior and emerging leaders seeking to strengthen emotional intelligence

  • Teams navigating complexity, change, or restructuring

  • Organisations committed to creating psychologically safe, high-performing cultures

Outcomes

Participants leave the programme with:

  • A practical understanding of how the brain drives emotion and behaviour

  • Tools to recognise and influence personal patterns of thinking and response

  • Increased self-awareness and self-influence

  • A shared team language for discussing behaviour, emotion, and performance

  • A stronger foundation for sustainable high performance

Why Choose Edge EQ

  • Backed by over 20,000 hours of professional coaching experience across global industries.

  • Created by James Rees, Executive Coach at Stanford Graduate School of Business and London Business School, and founder of Hooper Rees.

  • Grounded in neuroscience, psychology, and leadership development.

  • Proven to deliver impact across all levels of the organisation.

We bring the insight, depth, and professionalism of executive coaching into a group training format that transforms teams at scale.

Ready to Make Your Teams EQ Fit?

Bring emotional intelligence training into your organisation and unlock the potential of your people.
We’ll help you build self-aware, emotionally intelligent teams who think clearly, communicate powerfully, and perform with purpose.

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