Emotional Intelligence: The Skill Every Great Leader Shares

EQ Coaching & Assessments to strengthen your self-awareness, resilience, and influence as a leader
Book a Call To Start Your EQ Assessment

“Knowledge gets you the title. Emotional intelligence makes you the leader people follow.”

— Unknown

Emotional Intelligence: The Leadership Advantage They Don’t Measure on Performance Reviews

Emotional Intelligence (or EQ) isn’t something you’ll see listed on a performance review. But it often determines whether people trust you, follow you, and stay motivated under your leadership.

At its core, EQ is your ability to recognize and manage emotions – both yours and others’ – so you can communicate clearly, handle stress constructively, and foster stronger relationships.

Having high EQ and empathy doesn’t mean you are “soft.” It means you choose to be intentional in how you show up, make decisions, and lead in a way that inspires confidence and leaves impact.

Why Emotional Intelligence Matters More Than IQ for Managers and Leaders

Today’s workplace pushes leaders harder than ever: deliver results faster, do more with fewer resources, and still keep your best people engaged. IQ and technical expertise might land you the role, but they’re not enough to keep teams motivated or businesses growing. What separates thriving leaders from struggling ones isn’t how much they know; It’s how well they listen, respond under pressure, and create trust that motivates people to action. That’s emotional intelligence. When leaders and organizations invest in EQ, the payoff is real: stronger teams, higher engagement, better decision-making, and resilience in the face of constant change.

The Numbers Don’t Lie: EQ Drives Success

Research shows Emotional Intelligence is the strongest driver of leadership success:

%

of top performers score high on EQ (vs only 20% of low performers)

%

of professional success is linked to EQ regardless of job category, making it the #1 predictor of performance

%

of a leader’s overall success is tied directly to their EQ

difference in average annual salary between leaders with high EQ vs low EQ

Ready to see where you stand?
Book a Call To Start Your EQ Assessment

“I’m always amazed about what I’ve accomplished after our sessions, I usually walk away with a new awareness about my business or my approach…that is great coaching!”

– MARY SMITH
FOUNDER, MARY SMITH COACHING AND DESIGN LLC

See Your Leadership in a Whole New Light With an

EQ Assessment

Take Your EQ Assessment

We’ll start with a research-backed tool, either the EQ-i 2.0 Emotional Intelligence Profile or the EQ 360 Multi-Rater Survey. This will give you a clear picture of your strengths and growth areas.

Get Your Personalized Debrief

Next, we’ll walk through your results together. You’ll see not just the numbers, but how they show up in your day-to-day leadership.

Build Your Development Plan

Finally, we’ll create a practical plan supported by targeted coaching sessions, so you can boost your leadership effectiveness and confidence and unlock untapped potential to lead with clarity, purpose, and influence.

Book a Call To Start Your EQ Assessment
Preview the EQ Leadership Report That Kickstarts

Your EQ Coaching Journey

Want to see what an EQ assessment actually looks like?

Download a sample EQ-i 2.0 Leadership Report and get a firsthand look at the four key dimensions it measures: Authenticity, Coaching, Insight, and Innovation.

You might be tempted to think of it as a personality quiz. But it’s a scientifically validated tool trusted by organizations worldwide. The report shows exactly how emotional intelligence impacts the way you lead, decide, and connect with others.

Growth Doesn’t Have to Be Overwhelming

Improving even just one area of emotional intelligence (whether it’s self-awareness, empathy, or stress management) can dramatically change the way you lead. Even a single area of improvement helps you build deeper trust, make smarter decisions under pressure, and show up with greater presence. It won’t just be a better workday. It’s a new way your team experiences you as a leader.

FAQs

Still have questions? Start here.

Why Is Emotional Intelligence Important?
Emotional intelligence is the one leadership skill that impacts everything else: team performance, employee retention, and workplace culture. It shapes how you manage stress, navigate conflict, and influence the people around you. Without it, even the smartest strategies fall flat. Leaders with low emotional intelligence often struggle with disengaged employees, higher turnover, and a workplace culture of tension or silence. In contrast, leaders with strong EQ create environments where people feel supported, engaged, and motivated to do their best work. In short, emotionally intelligent leaders don’t just survive the pressures of leadership. They thrive. They advance their careers, foster healthy teams, and create workplaces where people want to do their best work.
Can Emotional Intelligence Be Learned?
Yes, absolutely. Emotional intelligence isn’t fixed. It’s a set of skills you can develop, practice, and apply to the way you lead and connect with others. The first step is understanding where you currently stand. Once you see your starting point, you can begin strengthening the abilities that make the biggest difference – like managing stress, recognizing triggers, responding instead of reacting, and communicating with clarity and empathy. That’s why we begin with the EQ-i 2.0 Emotional Intelligence Self-Assessment. This research-backed tool gives you a clear picture of your strengths and growth areas. From there, we’ll build a personalized coaching plan so you can turn those insights into real-world leadership growth.
Are Emotional Intelligence Assessments Accurate?

Yes. The EQ-i 2.0 Emotional Intelligence Assessment is one of the most scientifically validated and widely used tools available. Based on the foundational work of Dr. Reuven Bar-On and published by Multi-Health Systems (MHS), it has been refined over decades of research and is trusted by organizations worldwide

This isn’t a personality quiz. It’s a rigorous, evidence-based tool that gives you a clear, accurate picture of your EQ strengths and blind spots. With these insights, we can create a focused development plan to help you lead with more clarity, composure, and confidence.

What are the signs that a leader may be lacking emotional intelligence?

Leaders who struggle with emotional intelligence often don’t realize it… until the symptoms show up in their team’s performance, morale, or retention. 

Here are some common signs:

  • Reactive or defensive under pressure: snapping, shutting down, or blaming instead of pausing to respond with intention.
  • Difficulty giving or receiving feedback: avoiding tough conversations, delivering criticism harshly, or taking feedback as a personal attack.
  • Low self-awareness: not recognizing how words, tone, or stress affect others.
  • Poor listening skills: interrupting, dismissing ideas, or focusing on responding instead of understanding.
  • Frequent conflict or high turnover: unresolved tension, mistrust, and eventual burnout or attrition.
  • Lack of empathy: struggling to recognize or validate others’ emotions, leaving people feeling unsupported.

The good news? Emotional intelligence isn’t fixed. With the right coaching and tools, leaders can build the self-awareness, empathy, and communication skills that transform how they lead – and how their teams respond.

What would change if you became the leader your team actually wants to follow?

This is your invitation to grow. When you strengthen your emotional intelligence, you elevate your team, energize their performance, and lead them in a way that inspires lasting results.

Take Your EQ Assessment

Get your personalized EQ profile and discover the insights that will transform how you lead.

Start Your EQ Assessment

Schedule A Call

Not sure if you’re ready? Let’s talk through your goals and explore if EQ coaching is the right fit.

Book A Call With Dan

“Great leaders aren’t remembered for how much they know, but for how they make people feel – and emotional intelligence is the skill that turns knowledge into lasting influence.”

-Dan Grisoni