In a world obsessed with technical expertise and impressive credentials, there's a powerful leadership quality that often flies under the radar yet makes all the difference between good and exceptional leaders. It's not your IQ, your prestigious MBA, or even your years of experience that can ultimately determine your success as a leader. It's something far more fundamental – and interesting – it’s your emotional intelligence.
Emotional intelligence (EI) has become a cornerstone concept in modern leadership theory and practice. Once considered secondary to technical expertise and traditional intelligence measures, emotional intelligence is now recognised as a critical factor that can determine a leader's effectiveness and an organisation's success. Leaders who master emotional intelligence create ripple effects throughout their organisations - building resilient teams, navigating change with grace, and creating team cultures where innovation thrives.
Here, we explore the multifaceted nature of emotional intelligence, its applications in leadership contexts, and practical ways to develop this essential skill set in the workplace.
Contents
What is Emotional Intelligence?
Practically, the meaning of emotional intelligence is our ability to be aware that emotions drive our behaviour and impact people both positively and negatively, then learning to navigate those emotional currents effectively.
The term EQ (Emotional Quotient) is often used interchangeably with EI (Emotional Intelligence) and refers to the measurable aspects of our ability to recognise, understand and manage our own emotions while also recognising, understanding and influencing the emotions of others. Just as IQ measures cognitive intelligence, EQ attempts to quantify emotional capabilities that contribute significantly to success in work and relationships.
The concept of emotional intelligence first appeared in academic literature in the 60s. But it wasn't until psychologist and science journalist Daniel Goleman published his groundbreaking book “Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ” in 1995, that the concept gained widespread popularity - particularly in leadership and organisational development. His work transformed our understanding of human intelligence as he suggested that emotional intelligence can be more important than traditional IQ in determining success in many areas of life.
Various conceptions and definitions of emotional intelligence have evolved over the years - each emphasising different aspects of emotional functioning.
Emotional Intelligence Models
The Ability Model, developed by Peter Salovey and John Mayer views emotional intelligence as a pure form of mental ability. It defines EI as the ability to perceive, understand, manage, and use emotions effectively - to be considered emotionally intelligent, it suggests you must excel in four specific areas:
Perception of emotions: Accurately identifying emotions in yourself and others.
Use of emotions: Utilising emotions to facilitate thinking and problem-solving.
Understanding emotions: Comprehending the causes and consequences of emotions.
Regulation of emotions: Managing your own emotions and responding appropriately to others.
The Trait Model, introduced by KV Petrides, approaches emotional intelligence as a set of emotional self-perceptions and behavioural dispositions of an individual's personality. It focuses on traits like emotional self-efficacy and social competencies that are naturally present rather than learned abilities.
The Mixed Model combines elements of both traits and abilities, emphasising a blend of natural predispositions and learned competencies. Popularised by Daniel Goleman, this model defines EI as encompassing self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills.
This model has gained traction in corporate settings due to its practical applications in leadership development.
Key Components of Emotional Intelligence
Goleman’s model of emotional intelligence identifies five distinct, but interconnected components that collectively determine an individual's capacity for emotional functioning in leadership and other contexts. Each component represents a domain of competence that can be systematically developed through awareness and practice.
Self-awareness
Self-awareness forms the foundation upon which all other emotional intelligence components are built. It involves recognising your emotions as they occur and understanding how they affect your thoughts and behaviours. Leaders with high self-awareness acknowledge their strengths and weaknesses while remaining open to feedback.
What can you do? Practice daily reflection by journaling about emotional reactions to significant events. Ask yourself what triggered specific emotions and how those emotions influenced your decision-making process. Working with a leadership coach can provide objective observations about emotional patterns..
Self-regulation
Self-regulation involves managing your emotions, especially in challenging situations. It doesn't mean suppressing feelings but rather processing them appropriately and expressing them constructively. Leaders who excel at self-regulation maintain composure under pressure, respond thoughtfully rather than reactively to challenges and create stable environments for their teams.
What can you do? Develop mindfulness practices that create a pause between emotional triggers and your responses. Simple breathing techniques can interrupt automatic reactions and allow more thoughtful responses.
Motivation
Motivation in the context of emotional intelligence refers to emotional tendencies that guide or facilitate achieving goals beyond external rewards like money or status. It encompasses the drive to achieve, commitment to organisational goals, initiative, and optimism even when facing setbacks.
What can you do? Connect your daily tasks to your core values and long-term vision. When motivation wanes, remind yourself of the purpose behind your work and how it aligns with what matters most to you.
Empathy
Empathy involves understanding others’ emotional states and responding appropriately to them. Empathetic leaders recognise emotional cues in others, listen attentively to concerns and viewpoints, consider the human impact of organisational decisions, and adapt their approach to accommodate diverse needs and preferences. Empathy enables leaders to consider team members’ feelings during decision-making processes, creating environments where people feel valued and understood.
What can you do? Practice active listening by focusing completely on the speaker without formulating responses while they're talking. Pay attention to both verbal and non-verbal cues to better understand the emotional content behind the words. The power of peer coaching circles is the ability to help develop active listening skills.
Social skills
Social skills encompass the abilities needed for effective interpersonal interactions and relationship management. These include influence, conflict management, collaboration, and inspiring and leading change. Leaders with strong social skills communicate effectively across various contexts, manage conflict productively, build and maintain collaborative relationships, and influence others through authentic connection rather than positional authority.
What can you do? Seek opportunities for collaborative projects that require relationship-building. Practice giving and receiving feedback in a way that acknowledges emotions while focusing on specific behaviours and outcomes.
Emotional Intelligence in Leadership
Emotional intelligence by Daniel Goleman has revolutionised our understanding of effective leadership. His research indicates that emotional intelligence is twice as important as technical skills and cognitive abilities for leadership success. It also suggested that when comparing top versus average performing senior leaders, almost 90% of the difference was attributable to emotional intelligence factors over cognitive abilities.
A further study by TalentSmart found that emotional intelligence is the strongest predictor of job performance.
Emotional intelligence predicts 58% of job performance
Even more interestingly they also found a link with salary…
Individuals with a high EI earn an average of $29,000 more per year than those with low EI - TalentSmart
While the World Economic Forum predicts that emotional intelligence will be part of the top 10 core job skills in 2025.
These aren't just interesting statistics - they're powerful indicators that the “soft stuff” of leadership actually delivers hard results.
Leaders with high emotional intelligence create psychologically safe environments where team members feel comfortable expressing ideas, taking calculated risks, and providing honest feedback. This psychological safety correlates strongly with team innovation, problem-solving capabilities, and overall performance measures.
👉 When leaders demonstrate self-awareness, they model vulnerability and authenticity that encourages similar behaviours throughout the organisation.
👉 Their self-regulation helps maintain calm during crises, preventing emotional contagion of anxiety or frustration.
👉 Motivated leaders inspire passion in their teams through their genuine enthusiasm and resilience.
👉 Empathetic leadership practices ensure team members feel heard and valued, increasing engagement and retention.
👉 Finally, socially skilled leaders excel at building alliances, managing conflicts, and navigating organisational politics effectively.
The integration of emotional intelligence into leadership practices represents a significant shift from command-and-control models toward more adaptive, human-centred approaches better suited to today's complex business environment.
Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace
Applying emotional intelligence in the workplace goes beyond managing anger or maintaining good relationships. It involves understanding both your own emotional landscape and that of others.
Research suggests that employees with high emotional intelligence have higher job satisfaction, job performance, organisational citizenship behaviour, organisational commitment and lower job stress. It's also a predictor of employees' wellbeing.
In practical workplace applications, emotional intelligence manifests in various behaviours. They communicate effectively by considering others' perspectives. Their flexibility allows them to adapt to changing circumstances without becoming frustrated or disruptive.
Emotionally intelligent professionals can excel at socialising and building networks. However, be cautious of assuming this. Many great leaders are introverts and may build productive relationships in other ways. For example, they support colleagues emotionally during difficult periods and practice active listening, demonstrating respect and building trust within teams.
During workplace conflicts, emotional intelligence becomes particularly valuable. Those who can recognise and manage their own emotions while acknowledging others' perspectives find resolutions that preserve relationships.
The good news for leadership development is that while some aspects of emotional intelligence may have deep personality roots, research demonstrates that emotional intelligence can be developed. Individuals can improve their emotional intelligence through training, mentoring, coaching, and intentional practice. This makes emotional intelligence a valuable focus for leadership development programmes and leadership coaching initiatives.
Emotional Intelligence Development in Neurodivergent Leaders
Approximately 20% to 30% of the UK population is Neurodivergent. Neurodivergent individuals often process emotions differently, leveraging strengths like logical reasoning, hyperfocus, and direct communication rather than conventional social cues. This suggests a need for more inclusive and comprehensive EI frameworks that account for neurodiversity—for example, focusing on unique strengths and not assuming neurotypical EI defaults.
Check out this awesome book - Learning from Neurodivergent Leaders: How to Start, Survive and Thrive in Leadership by Dr. Nancy Doyle in 2025
Emotional Intelligence and Inclusive Leadership
Emotional intelligence forms the bedrock of inclusive leadership by equipping leaders with the awareness and capabilities to embrace diversity in all its forms.
👉 When leaders develop strong self-awareness, they recognise their own biases and blind spots, creating space for more equitable decision-making.
👉 Their heightened empathy allows them to genuinely understand different perspectives and experiences, helping team members from all backgrounds feel valued and understood.
👉 Through effective self-regulation, these leaders navigate challenging conversations about diversity with composure and openness rather than defensiveness or discomfort.
Coaching Emotional Intelligence
How do you develop emotional intelligence in yourself and your leadership team?
The development of emotional intelligence through coaching has emerged as a significant focus in leadership development, leadership coaching, and organisational effectiveness programmes. Leadership coaching provides structured and tailored support for self-awareness, practice, and reflection to enhance emotional capabilities over time.
Leadership Coaching Programme EI Baselines
Effective emotional intelligence leadership coaching begins with an assessment to establish a baseline and identify development areas. Coaches often employ tools to do this - for example, in our EMPOWER leadership group coaching, we use the PrinciplesYou assessment, Everything DiSC Agile EQ and AtMyBest360. These assessments include self-report measures and 360-degree feedback from colleagues and invited others. The assessment process often enhances self-awareness as individuals recognise patterns in their emotional responses and understand how others perceive their emotional management and social interaction styles. This baseline understanding creates the foundation for targeted development efforts and provides metrics for measuring progress over time.
Leadership Coaching Programme EI Goals
Coaches then work with leaders to set specific, measurable goals for EI improvement. The process involves developing self-awareness through exercises like journaling and mindfulness practices, enhancing empathy through role-playing and perspective-taking activities, and learning emotional regulation techniques. Continuous feedback and reflection help leaders integrate EI practices into their leadership style, ultimately fostering more effective and empathetic leadership.
Emotional Intelligence Tests
How is emotional intelligence measured? A test for emotional intelligence can provide valuable insights into current capabilities and development areas. These assessments vary in approach, comprehensiveness, and underlying theoretical frameworks. And if you're interested in assessing your emotional intelligence, several options exist.
Kinkajou uses the PrinciplesYou assessment, which represents an integrated approach to personality assessment, incorporating elements related to emotional functioning within a broader personality framework. Though not exclusively focused on emotional intelligence, it provides insights into traits that influence emotional perception and management. The assessment measures aspects of personality across the "Big Five" personality dimensions - openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and emotional stability - which have significant overlap with emotional intelligence components.
Everything DiSC Agile EQ is another powerful assessment tool we use which is specifically designed to measure emotional intelligence in the workplace context. It combines the personalised insights of DiSC with active emotional intelligence development, teaching leaders to read the emotional and interpersonal needs of a situation and respond accordingly. The assessment provides a personalised 26-page report that details how individuals can improve their responses to produce more positive outcomes in various situations. What makes this one particularly valuable is its focus on developing adaptability - teaching leaders how to flex their emotional responses to meet the demands of changing workplace situations.
Other popular emotional intelligence assessments include the Emotional Intelligence Appraisal, which can be administered as either a self-report or 360-degree assessment. It provides scores across four domains of emotional intelligence - self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management - along with targeted recommendations for development. Alternatively, The Genos Emotional Intelligence Inventory measures seven dimensions of emotionally intelligent workplace behaviour, focusing specifically on how emotional intelligence manifests in professional contexts.
The most effective assessment approaches match the specific measurement tool to the intended purpose - whether for self-awareness, development planning, team building, or organisational analysis.
How Emotionally Intelligent Am I?
Self-assessment provides a foundation for understanding your emotional intelligence profile and identifying potential development areas.
If you're keen to gauge your current situation, the following questionnaire provides a starting point for self-reflection and addresses the five components of emotional intelligence based on Goleman's model. However, this is not a one-size-fits-all approach and may not work for neurodivergent leaders.
Rate each statement on a scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree):
Self-awareness
I can accurately identify my emotions as they arise
I understand how my emotions affect my behaviour
I recognise my strengths and limitations
Self-regulation
I can remain composed in stressful situations
I adapt well when plans change unexpectedly
I rarely make impulsive decisions I later regret
Motivation
I pursue goals with energy and persistence
I seek opportunities for improvement rather than dwelling on failures
I maintain optimism even during challenging times
Empathy
I notice subtle emotional cues in conversations
I can accurately describe others' perspectives even when I disagree
I adapt my communication style based on others' needs
Social skills
I resolve conflicts constructively
I build rapport easily with different types of people
I collaborate effectively in team settings
Score interpretation: 60-75 points indicates strong emotional intelligence; 45-59 points suggests moderate emotional intelligence with specific areas for development; below 45 points suggests substantial development opportunities.
After completing this self-assessment, identify patterns across your responses to recognise your emotional intelligence strengths and potential development areas. Remember that emotional intelligence develops through awareness, practice, and reflection rather than through knowledge alone.
Consider which component might create the greatest positive impact if developed further, and identify situations where enhanced emotional intelligence would improve your effectiveness.
Summing Up
Emotional intelligence is a valuable framework for understanding human behaviour and developing effective leadership practices. From self-awareness to social skills, the components of emotional intelligence offer pathways for leadership development and organisational success. However, be cautious of assuming neurotypical and one-size-fits-all-all to emotional intelligence development.
While technical expertise is important, emotional intelligence often determines whether that expertise can be effectively applied. Leaders who develop emotional intelligence create environments where people thrive and innovation flourishes. As organisations continue to navigate complex, uncertain, and rapidly changing environments, evaluating strategies for leadership development to build more emotionally intelligent leaders is critical.
➡️ Interested in levelling up your emotional intelligence to become a more effective leader?
Check out our 1:1 leadership coaching, leadership group coaching, leadership coaching for women and inclusive leadership coaching services to enhance your leadership development journey.