Editorial
My son and I waited as a car backed out of a prime parking spot in front of Macy’s. Just as it pulled away, a driver whipped around the corner and cut in. My son’s jaw dropped but I said, “No worries, there are plenty of spots.”
We parked and approached the door at the same time as the other driver. My son quickened his pace. I told him to stop, but he ran ahead, opened the door and said, “After you.”
He’s seen me model this behavior a million times. Some might see it as weakness or meekness. I see it as strength. It’s grace under fire.
There’s a saying: who you are in the dark defines who you are in the light. It’s true in small moments — like holding the door for someone who doesn’t deserve it — and in larger, more challenging moments. How we respond in life and in business when the initial impulse is to react reveals our character. Even seemingly trivial moments are lessons to those watching, quietly shaping how they act and respond themselves. Choosing patience, composure and grace in these moments when it would be easy not to. This is emotional intelligence.
What Is Emotional Intelligence?
Emotional intelligence is how we navigate our feelings and the feelings of others: pausing before we react, responding with consideration, and understanding the impact our actions have on those around us. Emotional intelligence isn’t just about composure in small everyday moments. It’s about navigating high-stakes situations at work, too.
An employee based in India recently reached out to me at 2:30 a.m., concerned about her role and requesting an immediate discussion. While middle of the night messages from my international team are par for the course, middle of the night impromptu meetings are not.
The situation was tense. But instead of reacting defensively or hastily, I brewed a cup of coffee and listened to understand her perspective. Although she struggled with some tasks, she was making progress and showing real promise in others. I didn’t want to lose the forward momentum or the human capital she brings to the team.
Together, we discussed her challenges, her strengths and where she could contribute most effectively to the company’s goals. I restructured her responsibilities to focus on areas where she could add the greatest value. I had her take on more brand management and copywriting for one of our travel brands, rather than managing cross-brand social channels that didn’t align with her skillset and knowledge base. This approach leveraged her strengths, drove tangible results for the company and kept her engaged in meaningful work. This is emotional intelligence in action.
Why Emotional Intelligence in Leadership Matters
From a small act in a mall to a high-stakes workplace situation, these stories illustrate the core of effective leadership. The ability to pause, listen and act thoughtfully, even when it’s difficult. Emotional intelligence in leadership isn’t about being meek or avoiding tough decisions. It’s about understanding yourself and others’ motivations, then making choices that balance empathy with results.
Leaders who demonstrate emotional intelligence:
- Model behavior for their teams: How you respond under pressure sets the tone for others. Your composure, patience and fairness become a standard for those around you.
- Maximize human potential: By recognizing strengths, addressing challenges constructively and aligning people with the right opportunities, you unlock performance and engagement.
- Drive tangible business outcomes: Thoughtful, emotionally intelligent decisions often yield better productivity, collaboration and retention — creating measurable business value.
In short, emotional intelligence allows leaders to turn challenging moments into opportunities for growth, trust and results for their team and the bottom line.
How to Put Emotional Intelligence Into Action
As a leader, you are a city on the hill. People are watching and often modeling their behavior after your example. Here are key ways to put emotional intelligence into action as a leader:
- Embody the behavior you want others to emulate: If you want your team to be patient, be patient. If you want them to be joyful, be joyful. Whatever qualities you hope to inspire in others, you must first embody yourself.
- Understand your team as individuals: Know what motivates each person, their strengths, passions and goals. Align responsibilities with where they can contribute most effectively now and in the future.
- Listen actively and empathetically: Encourage dialogue, ask questions and genuinely hear what your team members are experiencing. Understanding their perspective is key to effective decision-making.
- Pause before reacting: Don’t forget to breathe, as my gym coach would say. Even in high pressure situations, take a beat to listen and reflect before responding. This composure allows thoughtful, deliberate action.
- Encourage and reinforce positive behaviors: Recognize and celebrate actions that reflect the standards, culture and values you want your team to embody.
Measuring the ROI of Emotional Intelligence in Leadership
Emotional intelligence isn’t just a corporate buzzword. It is a measurable driver of business performance. Leaders who demonstrate emotional intelligence create environments where employees feel understood, supported and motivated. The results? Lower turnover, higher productivity and stronger growth.
Gallup’s decades-long research confirms this:
- Managers account for 70% of the variance in team engagement — the single biggest lever for performance. Through empathy and coaching, emotionally intelligent leaders consistently move the needle.
- Teams with high engagement are 21% more productive than average teams.
- Improving just one core engagement driver, like helping employees do what they do best daily, can cut turnover by as much as 30%.
In my case with the India-based team member, that 2:30 a.m. conversation wasn’t just about retention. It was about preserving momentum and unlocking her full contribution. By realigning her role, we didn’t just keep talent. We amplified it. That’s ROI in action.
Beyond the numbers, emotional intelligence builds trust, accelerates development and strengthens culture. These outcomes compound over time. Investing in emotional intelligence is not only a moral choice but a strategic business decision.
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Editor's Note: What other skills do leaders need to navigate 2026?
- Delegation: The Secret Weapon Most Leaders Aren't Taught — Delegation isn’t just a to-do list strategy, it’s a leadership skill that determines whether you scale or stall.
- People-Centric Leadership and AI: Can We Have Both? — AI can support people-first leadership, if we use it with care.
- Why Your Leaders Are Reacting, Not Leading – And How to Fix It — When energy reserves are low, the brain narrows its focus. It's a typical survival response, but is highly counterproductive for leaders.
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