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What Are Emotionally Intelligent Creative Spaces? with Zena Collins


What Are Emotionally Intelligent Creative Spaces? with Zena Collins

Zena Collins believes emotional intelligence isn’t a soft skill; it’s a necessary one, especially in the arts.


As one-third of the Inclusive STAGES team, Zena brings a rich background in organizational change and emotional intelligence to the center of our work. Her passion? Helping artists and leaders build self-awareness, connect with their emotions, and use that data (yes, data!) to make more effective decisions on stage, in rehearsal, and everywhere in between.


In this conversation, Zena and I explore how emotions shape our creative spaces, how most of us think we’re emotionally intelligent but aren’t, and how to utilize Zena’s favorite tool, the MSCEIT assessment, to build better awareness and stronger teams.


These aren’t vague feel-good concepts. Zena shares practical frameworks and personal reflections that you can use today to bring more clarity, compassion, and curiosity into your theater practice.


Because in a world where emotional labor is high and burnout is real, emotional intelligence isn’t optional; it’s urgent.



Here's what we cover:


  • What emotional intelligence is, and why it’s a critical leadership skill

  • The surprising gap between how emotionally self-aware we think we are…and how self-aware we really are

  • Why emotional intelligence is about behavior, not personality (and what that means for artists)

  • How the MSCEIT “hard ability” test works, and why it’s different from a self-assessment

  • The emotional toll of hypervigilance in rehearsal rooms, and how to reduce it

  • Why empathy alone isn’t enough, and how understanding and managing emotions take it further

  • Zena’s personal story of navigating DEI language, identity, and generational shifts with curiosity and care

  • What artists need to recover from emotional burnout and be truly seen in their spaces


Emotional intelligence doesn’t mean being nice. It means being honest, curious, and clear—in service of stronger collaboration and braver art.


This episode is your invitation to pause, reflect, and build the skills that allow everyone in the room to show up more fully… including you.


So, ask yourself: What might shift in your creative process if you understood your emotions as clearly as you understand your script?


Because better art begins with better spaces.

If we can differentiate among these different emotions and identify which ones are most suitable for optimizing a situation in a relationship, we can consciously make better choices in terms of how we match our moods to situations.

More About Zena Collins

Zena is an advisor at Accordant Advisors, specializing in business development and culture change architect, working with leaders to build high-performing, inclusive teams through the development of emotional intelligence and hard ability skills.


Related Episodes


Links & Mentioned Resources


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Connect with Kira:


Thanks for joining me on this episode of Inclusive Stages! If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on Apple or Spotify to help me reach even more theater makers, theater artists, and theater lovers who want to make our industry a better place for everyone.


Thanks to our music composer, Zachary McConnell, and our producer, Leah Bryant.


More about the Inclusive STAGES Podcast


Inclusive STAGES™ Building Healthy Arts Spaces is the podcast for theater makers, creatives, and arts leaders who believe we can build a better industry—one brave, emotionally intelligent, and trauma-informed space at a time. Hosted by Kira Troilo, founder of Art & Soul Consulting, each episode explores what it really takes to create inclusive, healthy creative environments in today’s rapidly changing performing arts landscape.


Whether you're a theater artist, an arts administrator, an educator, a creative leader, or a producer, this show will help you answer big questions like:


What is inclusive leadership in the arts, and how do I practice it?


How can performing arts organizations promote diversity and inclusion?


What does “representation matters” mean in theater and beyond?


How can venues make performances more accessible?


What tools do I need to lead with care—and still make bold, brilliant work?


Through honest conversations, industry insights, and practical tools, Inclusive STAGES™ empowers you to reduce burnout, dismantle harmful norms, and build the kinds of creative spaces where everyone can thrive.


New episodes every week. Follow now and join the movement toward healthier, more sustainable arts spaces. 

 
 
 

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