Why Emotional Intelligence Matters for Leaders
As we begin 2025, many leaders are focusing on setting goals and targets. Yet, after 30+ years of working with senior leaders, I’d like to suggest something different: developing your emotional intelligence could actually be more valuable than any goal-setting exercise.
Why Emotional Intelligence Really Matters in the Workplace
Let’s be practical – emotional intelligence isn’t about being ‘touchy-feely’ or always being nice. It’s about having the right conversations, in the right way, at the right time. It’s about creating workplaces where people feel safe to speak up, where relationships work well, and where difficulties get sorted out through honest dialogue rather than avoidance or conflict.
Think about your own workplace. When things go wrong, how often is it because of technical problems? Or how often is it about relationships, misunderstandings, or conversations that should have happened but didn’t? In my experience, most workplace challenges stem from human dynamics rather than technical issues.
Four Essential Areas of Emotional Intelligence in Leadership
Emotional intelligence makes a real difference in leadership success. As examples, I’ve seen four key areas where emotional intelligence makes a real difference:
The first is about knowing yourself. This means understanding what pushes your buttons, recognising when your mood is affecting others, and being honest about your strengths or blind spots. Without this self-knowledge, leading effectively is difficult because we often don’t realise how our behaviour impacts others.
The second area focuses on managing yourself. Leaders who excel at this can stay steady under pressure and keep perspective when things get tough. They understand the importance of looking after their own wellbeing and know that their state of mind directly affects their team’s performance.
Reading the room comes third, and it’s important. This involves picking up on what’s not being said, noticing when the team’s energy changes, and understanding what different team members need. Leaders who develop these skills can often address issues before they become problems and create an environment where people feel better understood.
Finally, there’s building good relationships. This means having those tricky conversations well, building trust through straightforward, candid communications, and making it safe for people to speak up. When leaders get this right, their teams typically perform better and stay more engaged.
A Real Example of Why This Matters
I recently worked with a senior leader who was getting frustrated because their team seemed to be pushing back against some changes. Through our coaching conversations, they realised their own worries about the changes were coming across in how they spoke to the team.
Once they understood this, they could adapt their language, be more open about their concerns and create space for honest conversations. The result? They achieved genuine buy-in rather than reluctant compliance. The changes happened more smoothly and actually strengthened team relationships.
Why Standard Leadership Training Often Misses the Mark
Many leadership courses focus on skills and techniques. That’s all well and good, but without emotional intelligence, even the best techniques can fall flat. I see this happen regularly in workplace situations.
A feedback conversation goes wrong because nobody considered the emotions involved. A team meeting doesn’t work because underlying tensions weren’t addressed. A clear message doesn’t land because it didn’t connect with how people are feeling. These situations highlight why emotional intelligence matters more than technical skill alone.
Practical Ways to Build Your Emotional Intelligence
The good news is that emotional intelligence isn’t fixed – we can all develop it. Start by taking a pause before responding to important situations. Notice how you’re feeling, think about where the other person’s coming from, and choose how you want to handle it.
Getting feedback is another great step. Understanding how others experience your approach makes a real difference to your leadership effectiveness. Using tools like DISC profiling can help you understand your communication style, whilst regular check-ins with your team provide valuable insights into your impact as a leader.
Make time to reflect regularly, too. Consider what situations tend to push your buttons, how well you’re handling those moments, and what impact you’re having on others. This kind of self-reflection is invaluable for developing emotional intelligence.
The Real Value of Emotional Intelligence in Leadership
As you think about what you want to achieve in 2025, consider this: your ability to understand and manage emotions – both your own and others’ – could make the biggest difference to your success as a leader.
I’m passionate about helping leaders create what I call ‘Savvy Spaces’ – workplaces where communication flows naturally, where the culture supports success, and where conflicts lead to growth rather than division. Creating these ‘Savvy Spaces’ starts with understanding the emotional side of leadership.
If you’d like to explore how you could develop your emotional intelligence, get in touch to discuss how leadership coaching or DISC profiling could help. Sometimes having someone in your corner makes all the difference.
Want to know more?
Sarah Harvey is Founding Director of Savvy Conversations Ltd and author of the highly acclaimed book Savvy Conversations: A practical framework for effective workplace relationships.
Website: https://savvyconversations.co.uk
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/savvysarah
Instagram: savvysarah
