In leadership trainings for ServiceNet managers, Peter McLean emphasizes emotional intelligence

As he prepares to teach a new series of leadership trainings, Training and Development Manager Peter McLean is thinking about curiosity and compassion.

“It can be easy for managers without the right training to fall into an adversarial space with staff at times,” McLean says. “When problems arise, it’s easy to respond by just putting more demands on people. But if you ask questions first, listen, and seek to understand, then the chances that that person will respond positively get much higher.”

The leadership trainings for ServiceNet managers, led by McLean, offer participants the opportunity to learn or expand the skills to build and guide effective teams.

“In human services,” McLean says, “Good leadership creates strong teams, and strong teams deliver more effective care. But people often get thrown into leadership roles before they have all the management skills they need to succeed. We wanted to create a clear pathway for people to develop and grow within the organization, and developing these skills should, in turn, improve the lives of the folks for whom we provide care.”

Each training consists of six modules. Topics include emotional intelligence; team building; effective feedback; supervision as coaching; how to effectively manage conflict; and how to foster effective meetings. The 2.5-hour sessions are in-person, limited to 20 participants, and offered to ServiceNet managers at no cost.

McLean’s own professional journey started on a vocational track. After graduating from Trent University in his native Ontario, he earned a certificate in furniture design and production from George Brown College in Toronto. Soon after that, he landed a job at Riverbend Furniture in Holyoke, Mass., a furniture company and Center for Human Development program that employed people with schizophrenia and other mental health issues. He started as a furniture builder but quickly became part of the team working with clients, and eventually manager of the shop.

He was moved by the humanity he recognized in clients, and he realized he had an affinity for the work.

“In the wood shop,” he said, “we had table saws. We had bar clamps. We had lead pipes. We had hammers. Seeing the clientele working in that environment brought it home to me that they were just like anybody. There wasn’t any reason to be fearful of being in that kind of environment — and in fact you could see people flourish in that environment.”

Inspired, McLean enrolled in a Master of Education program at Cambridge College in Cambridge, Mass., where he focused on nonprofit management. He also completed an intensive training in dialectical behavior therapy, which emphasizes skills and practices designed to improve emotional regulation. The training deepened his interest in new ways of thinking about management.

“What I took from it was that introduction to mindfulness,” McLean said. “Whether it’s meditation or just taking a breath, stepping back, that kind of thing. That and having a skills group to meet with to talk about these things, which really helps in dealing with challenging situations. Those really stuck with me.”

Participants in the trainings have described an experience that is beneficial both personally and professionally.

“I found the content both refreshing and valuable,” said Nancy Woicik, senior director of operations for ServiceNet’s Shared Living Program, in a written evaluation of the class. “The training offered practical insights that reinforced what I’ve learned over the years while also introducing new strategies I could immediately put into practice.”

For McLean, much of it comes down to the same human element that first interested him in service work years ago.

“The emotional intelligence piece is foundational to all the rest,” he said, “and it starts with your own self-awareness.”

ServiceNet invests in its staff to strengthen care and support for the people and communities it serves. Learn more at servicenet.org.