Elevating Emotional Intelligence in Senior Management

In our fast-paced, ever-evolving corporate world, technical skills alone no longer suffice to lead a successful team. For truly optimised leadership, emotional intelligence (EQ or EI) will soon be considered the single key competence.

The trend towards this started over a decade ago, but, with perhaps a touch of irony, it has been accelerated by the advance of AI.

EQ in senior management is about understanding, empathising, and responding to our own emotions and those of our team members. It's about fostering an environment where feedback is valued, where challenges are faced with resilience, and where empathy is the cornerstone of decision-making.

When leaders demonstrate high EQ, the effects ripple through the organisation, creating more engaged, motivated, and productive teams. These leaders cultivate cultures of trust, cooperation, and psychological safety, encouraging everyone to bring their best selves to work.

And here’s the good news – unlike our core personalities, EQ can be measured and developed.  There are 10 fundamental EQ skills, each of which can be assessed, understood and honed.  Gone are the days of senior players getting away with the like of, “Oh that’s just not me,” or “People know what they get with me.”  Both statements may be true, but to do nothing about it is no longer an option.

So, to all my fellow leaders: let's keep honing our emotional intelligence. Let's be the change agents who bridge the gap between numbers and narratives, between spreadsheets and stories. Let's lead not only with our minds, but also with our hearts.