Cultivating Emotional Intelligence

For years, I misunderstood emotional intelligence. I thought it meant: Never showing frustration Always keeping the peace Trying to control others’ emotions The truth? It isn’t about hiding feelings. It’s about using them to support yourself and your team. This powerful infographic by Will McTighe highlights 8 behaviors emotionally intelligent leaders practice daily: 1️⃣ Asking for the hard truth ↳ Ask: “What could I have done better?” ↳ Track feedback patterns and act on them. 2️⃣ Making small promises count ↳ Deliver on even the tiniest commitments. ↳ Can’t? Address it before someone has to ask. 3️⃣ Turning pressure into fuel ↳ Pause before reacting under stress. ↳ Stay steady when others spiral. 4️⃣ Setting boundaries with grace ↳ Offer help when you can, not always. ↳ Frame limits as clarity, not rejection. 5️⃣ Listening like detectives ↳ Understand before offering solutions. ↳ Tune into what’s felt, not just said. 6️⃣ Showing their human side ↳ Share lessons from your own missteps. ↳ Admit what you don’t know (yet). 7️⃣ Choosing their energy wisely ↳ Others’ emotions aren’t yours to carry. ↳ Respond with purpose, not reflex. 8️⃣ Chasing growth relentlessly ↳ Own your misses without defensiveness. ↳ Adjust faster than you stumbled. When you lead this way, it’s less about your title. And more about your impact and how others feel around you. And you lead others best when you lead yourself first. Which of these behaviors will you start with this week? ♻️ Found this valuable? Repost to share. 📌 Follow Amy Gibson for leadership insights.

Busting 5 Common Myths About Emotional Intelligence (EI) There are many myths surrounding emotional intelligence. Let's debunk some of the most common ones. 𝐌𝐲𝐭𝐡 1: Emotional Intelligence is an Innate Trait The Myth: You're either born with emotional intelligence or you're not 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩: EI can be developed through consistent micro-habits and practice 𝘌𝘹: Taking 3 deep breaths before responding to triggers can rewire your emotional responses P.S - I confess I used to think EI is an innate trait- worked hard on developing my EI and continue to assess it every now and then 𝐌𝐲𝐭𝐡 2: Building EI Takes Too Much Time 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘺𝘵𝘩: Developing emotional intelligence requires lengthy training or therapy 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩: Most effective EI practices take less than 3 minutes 𝘌𝘹𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦: A simple 3-second pause before speaking in conversations can dramatically improve your emotional awareness 𝐌𝐲𝐭𝐡 3: Emotional Intelligence Means Always Being Nice 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘺𝘵𝘩: High EI leaders avoid conflict and always agree 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩: True EI involves setting clear boundaries and managing difficult conversations effectively 𝘌𝘹: Saying "That won't work for me" without guilt or over-explanation shows higher EI than always saying yes 𝐌𝐲𝐭𝐡 4: Emotions Have No Place in Decision-Making 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘺𝘵𝘩: Professional decisions should be purely logical 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩: Understanding emotional cues helps make better-informed decisions 𝘌𝘹: Rating your energy levels before commitments leads to more sustainable choices 𝐌𝐲𝐭𝐡 5: EI is Only About Managing Others 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘺𝘵𝘩: Emotional intelligence is just about reading other people 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩: Self-awareness and personal regulation are foundational to EI Ex: Regular body scans to notice tension patterns Which of these myths surprised you the most?

The Hidden Emotional Challenges of Leadership No One Talks About The toughest part of leadership isn't the strategies or decisions. It's the silent emotional battles we often don't voice. When stepped into a leadership role, you need to be ready for the boardroom battles, the data-driven decisions, the plans and forecasts. But there is a warning signal about the emotional rollercoaster. • The Lonely Heights As leaders, we are expected to stay strong, to always have the answers. But that can feel isolating. Leadership often feels like a solitary climb, where the higher you go, the fewer people you find at your level. Imagine climbing a mountain not just for the view, but also to realize how much further you are from those at the base. It's thrilling yet solitary. Actionable Insight:  Find a trusted peer or mentor to share your experiences. Creating a support system isn't a weakness; it's a tool for resilience. • The Weight of People's Dreams Every decision affects someone’s career, their future. That’s a heavy emotional lift that textbooks often forget to mention. Think of a coach with a team, each player looking up, filled with hope for the future. The pressure isn't just about winning. It's nurturing their dreams. Actionable Insight:  Prioritize transparent communication. Regular check-ins can work wonders. One-on-one meetings or feedback help maintain balance and transparency. Emotional Fitness isn't often discussed, but essential. Practice listening to your own needs, and encourage your team to do the same. What other hidden challenges have you faced in leadership? Let's uncover them together. #Leadership #EmotionalIntelligence #Mentorship #CareerGrowth

Disengagement is at an all-time high, and it’s not because leaders don't care. It’s because they're trying to lead with a playbook that's out of date. For decades, leaders were rewarded for control, hierarchy, and efficiency. But today's teams are hybrid, employees demand purpose, and mental health needs are on the rise. The old model of a leader who has all the answers—and must lead with the voice of a Covey or a Gladwell—is dead. And although we have modern voices like Sinek and Grant, the new model requires you to find your own voice and lead with authenticity. 𝐒𝐨, 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞? ✅ Psychological Safety as the foundation, not the afterthought. Practical application: Start a meeting by sharing a mistake you made recently and what you learned from it. This shows your team that vulnerability is a strength, not a weakness. Also, normalize learning moments. When a mistake happens, say: “Great catch. What did we learn? What’s something we can do to prevent this from happening in the future?” ✅ Emotional intelligence is a core strength skill, not a “soft” one. Practical application: Before reacting to a stressful situation or email, take a 60-second pause. Ask yourself, "What emotion am I feeling right now, and why?" This helps you choose a response instead of just reacting. ✅ Clear boundaries and open communication that protect both leaders and their teams. Practical application: Create response windows (e.g., Slack = 4 business hours, email = 24), after-hours rules, escalation ladder, and which channels to use for what. Clarify "on" and "off" hours by setting your team's expectation: "I won't send non-urgent emails after 6 p.m., and I don't expect you to respond to mine after hours either." ✅ Culture that grows from daily behavior, not one-off initiatives. Practical application: In your next one-on-one, ask, "What’s one thing I can do to make your work life easier this week?" This small act demonstrates that you value their well-being and are committed to supporting them. Leaders who adapt aren't just retaining their best people. They’re creating workplaces where creativity, innovation, and performance flow naturally. Which of these "new playbook" requirements do you think is the most challenging for leaders to adopt today? What shift do you think is most urgent for leaders right now? #emotionalIntelligence #leadership #psychologicalSafety

For years we treated emotional intelligence as a “soft skill,” a kind of optional accessory to “real leadership.” Something nice to have, but not foundational. AI has inverted the hierarchy. I’ve been thinking about this a lot: how the skill set that defined leadership in the last era is dissolving beneath us. For the better part of two decades, leaders were told they needed to manage complexity through data — understand the models, follow the dashboards, trust the numbers. These were the hard skills of modern management. But now the hard skills are automated. Pattern recognition, probabilistic reasoning, operational optimization, etc… tasks that once required an entire team are handled in seconds. The temptation is to believe this frees leaders to think more strategically, but that’s only half true. It also exposes a vacuum. Strip away analysis, prediction, and information processing, and what remains of leadership? What remains is the part that was always harder to quantify: judgment, intuition, presence, the capacity to hold a room or steady a team or interpret a moment. The subtle, unspoken aspects of leadership that emerge not from information but from experience — lived experience, not simulated. Being in the arena. Getting punched in the mouth. Getting back up time and time again. These things can’t be compressed, accelerated, or outsourced. They operate on a different clock. When people ponder what leadership will look like in an era when AI knows more than they do, I find myself returning to something simple: leadership becomes less about knowing and more about meaning. Machines produce coherence. Only humans produce significance. This, and more, in my latest essay - Leadership in the age of Artificial Intelligence. #AI #leadership #business #innovation https://lnkd.in/g6sduKfq

Ever feel like you’re running a circus where you’re the ringmaster, lion tamer, and clown all rolled into one? Most of my clients start working with me because that's exactly how they feel, especially in the context of tightening budgets - over-worked, over-whelmed and over-it. Juggling the demands of scaling a business with employees who make it feel more like you're managing a kindergarten than a business can be overwhelming—especially when you're knee-deep in chaos and unsure how to get out. What if I told you that one of the keys to turning this circus into a Cirque du Soleil is something you might not have considered? No, it’s not about hiring more clowns—though, let’s be honest, sometimes it feels like that would help. I’m talking about emotional intelligence (EI), the secret ingredient that could be missing from your recipe for success. Here’s the thing: EI isn’t just a buzzword or a fancy term for ‘being nice.’ It’s about understanding and managing your emotions and those of your team in a way that drives better decision-making and fosters a healthier, more productive work environment. Think of it as the grease that keeps the gears of your business turning smoothly. So, how does EI impact your bottom line? Let’s break it down: 🎪 Better Communication: With high EI, you can decode your team's unspoken tensions & frustrations, leading to clearer, more effective communication. This means fewer misunderstandings & more collaborative problem-solving. 🎪 Increased Employee Engagement: When leaders demonstrate empathy & self-awareness, they create an environment where employees feel valued & understood. Happy employees are more engaged and productive—imagine that! 🎪 Improved Conflict Resolution: EI helps in managing conflicts with a calm & measured approach, preventing small issues from snowballing into major disruptions. 🎪 Enhanced Leadership: An emotionally intelligent leader can inspire, motivate, & guide their team more effectively. This leads to a more cohesive team & better overall performance You might be thinking, "That all sounds great, but where do I start?" Here’s the good news: It’s not as daunting as it seems. Incorporating EI into your strategy starts with a clear plan and the right systems. This is where I come in. My Compass Business Diagnostic is designed to pinpoint the exact areas where your business could benefit from a boost in EI & strategic leadership. We’ll dig deep into your organisational health, identify key pain points & create a tailored strategy that aligns with your vision of scaling effectively, ensuring your business doesn’t just scale but thrives. 🌟 Ready to transform your business from chaotic to captivating? Let’s get started with Compass and set your course for strategic clarity and growth. Drop me a message, and let’s chat about how we can make emotional intelligence your new superpower. 💼✨

📌Quiet Power of Emotional Intelligence in Leadership Leadership isn’t just about strategies and deliverables—it’s about people. When one of my high-performing team members started disengaging, my instinct was to address the performance dip. Instead, I paused, listened, and simply asked, “How are you doing?” That conversation revealed personal challenges she was silently managing. She didn’t need solutions—just someone to listen . This reminded me that emotional intelligence is key to leadership: being self-aware, showing empathy, and adapting to your team’s needs. Here’s How Leaders Can Build EQ in Teams: ↳Listen Actively: Make time for real conversations, beyond work. Ask, “How are you doing?”—and mean it. ↳Encourage Vulnerability: Share your own challenges and create a culture where it’s okay to not be perfect. ↳Recognize and Adapt: Everyone communicates and processes differently. Be flexible in your approach. ↳Model EQ: Your team mirrors your behavior. Show them how to handle stress, conflict, and challenges gracefully. Leaders, remember: Teams thrive when people feel seen and supported. How do you build EQ in your team?

Most leaders think emotional intelligence is about being "nice." They're dead wrong. I've worked with hundreds of CEOs. The ones who scale past $100M share something unexpected: They're ruthlessly self-aware. They stay calm when others panic. They listen for what's not being said. They hold people accountable with compassion. This isn't soft skills. This is survival. Because when your top performer threatens to quit… When investors doubt your vision… When the board questions your strategy… Your IQ won't save you. Your EQ will. Here are the 8 rare traits of emotionally intelligent leaders: 1. Self-Aware They understand how their emotions affect people, decisions, and outcomes. 2. Humble They own their mistakes and take feedback without getting defensive. 3. Tuned In They pick up on tone, body language, and what's not being said. 4. Approachable People feel safe being real with them (no fear of judgment). 5. Adaptable They adjust quickly when things shift, without losing focus. 6. Empathetic They listen to understand, not just to reply. 7. Composed They stay steady, especially when everything else isn't. 8. Respectful Even in tension, they choose words that build, not break. The brutal truth? Most leaders score high on maybe 2-3 of these. The exceptional ones cultivate all 8. Not because they're naturally gifted. But because they understand something critical: In leadership, your ability to manage emotions—yours and others'—determines whether people follow you or flee from you. Technical skills get you in the room. Emotional intelligence keeps you there. And in a world where AI can do almost everything else, this is the edge that remains uniquely human. Uniquely powerful. Uniquely yours to develop. P.S. Want a PDF of my Emotional Intelligence Cheat Sheet? Get it free: https://lnkd.in/dMxdDvwM ♻️ Repost to help a leader in your network. Follow Eric Partaker for more EQ insights.

Emotional Intelligence is often misunderstood. Just because it’s confused with softness and weakness. 📌 Here are 10 myths about EI that many believe (and it’s a mistake): 1. It’s just about being “nice.” ↳ NO, it’s about managing emotions, not just pleasing others. 2. Being empathetic means agreeing with others. ↳ NO, empathy is about understanding, not agreeing. 3. You must always understand and forgive. ↳ NO, it’s about inner peace, not excusing bad behavior. 4. You’re either born with it or not. ↳ NO, EI can be developed with practice. 5. EI is about avoiding conflict. ↳ NO, it’s about managing conflict constructively. 6. It means being emotionally available 24/7. ↳ NO, EI is knowing when to set boundaries. 7. EI makes you soft and weak. ↳ NO, it takes strength to manage emotions effectively. 8. You have to hide your emotions at work. ↳ NO, healthy expression can improve leadership and communication. 9. Having high EI means you never get angry. ↳ NO, it’s about managing anger, not suppressing it. 10. EI doesn’t affect your career. ↳ NO, EI is actually the key to career success. If you want to be a top performer, work on your Emotional Intelligence. Don’t let these myths hold you back. EI is a skill worth mastering — it's time to get real about it. ♻️ Share if you agree. ☝️ And follow Victoria Repa for more.

This article introduces a transformative model of leadership grounded in the NeuroCARE™ Framework, integrating emotional intelligence, spiritual intelligence, ethical intelligence, and faith-based stewardship as the foundation of modern leadership excellence. In an era defined by rapid change, uncertainty, and human complexity, leaders must cultivate capacities that extend beyond technical skill to include inner alignment, relational attunement, and moral clarity. This expanded chapter explores how leaders can regulate their emotional states, anchor their decisions in meaning and purpose, model ethical transparency, and steward the growth of others through compassion and conviction. Drawing from neuroscience, coaching psychology, organizational leadership research, and the 2025 ICF Core Competencies, the article blends theory with real-world scenarios and practical applications. It offers a compelling case that integrated intelligence is not only essential for organizational success but also critical for cultivating cultures where people flourish. Through reflective insights, scenario-driven illustrations, and neuroscience-based tools, readers are invited to reimagine leadership as a holistic, human-centered practice capable of shaping identity, purpose, and collective transformation.