Reframing the Narrative - A Powerful Lesson in Emotional Intelligence

Recently, I had the privilege of participating in my company’s Global Leadership Development Program—a transformative experience filled with insights that continue to shape how I lead and show up at work. One session, in particular, stood out: a workshop on Emotional Intelligence led by Angela Scalpello of The Scalpello Group. 

Angela introduced us to a deceptively simple yet profoundly impactful framework: ETC. It stands for: 

• E = Emotion – Name the emotion you’re feeling.
• T = True – Ask yourself: What do I know to be true?
• C = Choose – Decide what you want to do next. 

At first glance, it might seem straightforward. But the real power lies in the “T”—True. That’s where the magic happens. 

Angela shared a story that brought this to life. She had spent considerable time crafting a proposal for a client and sent it off, only to be met with silence for three days. Naturally, she began to spiral: Was the quote too high? Was the proposal too aggressive? Did they go with someone else? The anxiety was real, and the narrative in her head was growing louder by the minute. 

Then she paused and applied ETC. 

• Emotion: She acknowledged she was feeling anxious and frustrated.
• True: The only fact she had was that the client hadn’t responded.
• Choose: Instead of continuing to spin stories, she chose to follow up. 

The client replied almost immediately, apologizing—she had accidentally deleted the original email and asked for it to be resent. 

This story hit home for me. How often do we let our minds run wild with assumptions, building entire stories on shaky ground? Angela’s ETC framework is a powerful reminder to pause, ground ourselves in truth, and make intentional choices.