Emotional Intelligence – A Leader’s Must-have

The Leadership Challenge: Balancing Change and Support

Leaders face the crucial task of engaging their teams in a way that balances effective change delivery with supporting people through the transition. Emotional Intelligence (EI), a long-standing but increasingly prominent soft skill, has gained new importance in light of Covid's impact on both personal and working lives. EI will be a key tool for leaders in the coming months.

What is Emotional Intelligence?

Emotional Intelligence refers to the ability to:

• Sense, manage, and express emotions in various situations.
• Perceive and respond to the emotions of others to maintain productive relationships.

It is often during challenging times that EI truly shines, enabling leaders to navigate interpersonal complexities effectively.

Why Leaders Need EI Now More Than Ever

In today’s working climate, leaders who can:

• Anticipate and manage difficult conversations.
• Align their emotional understanding with their people’s needs.

These leaders will position themselves to achieve positive outcomes in both performance and employee experience. Research consistently links EI with leader effectiveness, job satisfaction, and resilience to stress.

Should Organisations Prioritise Emotional Intelligence?

With the future of work demanding greater interpersonal acumen, the question arises: should organisations prioritise EI in identifying and developing their leaders? The answer appears to be a resounding yes.

The CIPD’s recent Health and Wellbeing at Work survey highlights growing recognition of the need to support employee experience and wellbeing. However, it also underscores the need to enhance line manager behaviour and capability to address the complex variety of individual circumstances within teams.

Developing Emotional Intelligence: A Key Opportunity

The good news is that EI is not static—it can be developed. Organisations should focus on fostering key EI-related skills such as:

• Empathy.
• Conflict management.
• Coaching abilities.

Psychometric tools can play a pivotal role in measuring EI, offering leaders valuable insights to target areas for growth.

The Value of Emotional Intelligence in Times of Change

The ability to identify and nurture EI within the workforce offers tremendous value, particularly during periods of change. Organisations that prioritise EI in leadership development will stand to gain a competitive advantage in navigating the complexities of the modern workplace.