In an era where the demands on senior leaders and CEOs are greater than ever, Emotional Intelligence (EQ) has emerged as the single strongest predictor of leadership effectiveness. It’s not a buzzword. It’s not a fad. It’s arguably the most critical part of effective leadership today.

Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand yourself, connect with others, manage stress under pressure, and lead with clarity and empathy. If any one of these gives you the heebies-jeebies and you find yourself heading towards the ‘red x’ button on your browser… we hate to break it to you but that means your own EQ probably needs some work. 

So why is emotional intelligence for leaders so important? 

What Is Emotional Intelligence?

Emotional intelligence, also known as EQ, refers to the ability to perceive, understand, and manage your own emotions and the emotions of others. It’s the foundation of impactful communication, meaningful collaboration, and trustworthy leadership.

The term was first coined by researchers John Mayer and Peter Salovey in 1990, but it was good ol’ psychologist Daniel Goleman who brought EQ into the leadership spotlight in his seminal 1995 book Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ.

In leadership, emotional intelligence goes far beyond being “nice”. It’s having the clarity to recognize your own emotions in real time, the self-regulation to manage them under pressure, and the empathy to understand what’s happening beneath the surface for others. 

It’s knowing how your mood impacts your team’s morale, how to respond instead of react in a difficult conversation, and how to lead when the stakes are high.

Your technical knowledge might get you through the door - but it’s your emotional intelligence that determines how far you’ll go once you're in the room.

Why Emotional Intelligence for Leaders Matters Now More Than Ever

Today’s business landscape is plagued by VUCA - volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity. Leaders are expected to handle their critical daily responsibilities alongside navigating this ambiguity, leading through change, and inspiring teams that are increasingly diverse and remote. IQ and technical experience help of course, but Emotional Intelligence is what separates the good leaders from the great ones.

And, there’s a mountain of evidence to back this up:

• Harvard Business School research found that EQ counts for twice as much as IQ and technical skills in determining leadership success.
  
• CareerBuilder reports that 71% of employers value EQ over IQ, especially in leadership roles.
  
• Authors Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves, in Emotional Intelligence 2.0, highlight that 83% of top performers score high in self-awareness.

So according to the statistics above, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say: If you want to lead effectively, you need to lead emotionally.

The Five Elements of Emotional Intelligence

At My Daily Leadership, we use Daniel Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence framework as the foundation for developing emotionally intelligent leaders. These five elements are essential to building a leadership mindset rooted in emotional intelligence:

• Self-Awareness
  The ability to recognise your emotions, understand your triggers, and see how your behavior affects others. Self-aware leaders are reflective, confident, and authentic.
  
• Self-Regulation
  Managing your emotions under pressure. Leaders with strong self-regulation stay calm, make intentional decisions, and create a steady, trusted presence.
  
• Motivation
  Driven by purpose rather than external rewards, motivated leaders lead with energy, resilience, and optimism. Even through setbacks.
  
• Empathy
  A strategic leadership strength. Empathy helps leaders understand others’ perspectives, build inclusive teams, and foster trust and connection.
  
• Social Skill
  The ability to influence, collaborate, and communicate effectively. Leaders with strong social skills navigate complexity and bring people together around shared goals.
  

Together, these five elements enable leaders to build collaborative teams, drive performance, and create long-lasting success.

Why Leaders Struggle With EQ (and what to do about it)

Despite its impact, many leaders can’t even define Emotional Intelligence (sigh) let alone develop it. For many, it feels intangible and abstract. 

For many years, leaders have been rewarded for decisiveness, logic, and results. So it can feel counterintuitive to slow down, reflect, or show vulnerability. Now we know some of you shuddered at that word. Leadership roles often reinforce control and confidence, while emotional intelligence requires humility, self-inquiry, and a willingness to sit with discomfort. Have you got those heebies-jeebies again? 

But here’s the good news: Emotional Intelligence is learnable. And it starts with the right habits and tools.

Note: If you’ve never heard of EQ before reading this blog and want to do some digging, we suggest you bookmark this blog and do some more research (hint: our book My Daily Leadership: A Powerful Roadmap for Leadership Success is a great start), and then come back. 

How To Improve Emotional Intelligence As A Leader

If you're serious about building EQ, here are five practices to start today:

1. Daily Journaling

If you want to start building your emotional intelligence, we suggest starting with a leadership development journal.

Journaling is a proven method for building self-awareness, regulating emotions, and improving decision-making. In other words, it’s your EQ gym. A daily practice to strengthen the muscles that matter most in leadership.

While self-guided journaling can be powerful, the My Daily Leadership journaling approach provides structure, consistency, and guided prompts that go far deeper than surface-level reflection.

If you're eager to jump straight into leadership development journaling, we’ve created a FREE 31-day guided journaling prompt download. These prompts are designed to kickstart your EQ journey through daily reflection, self-mentoring, and practical emotional insight. Download your FREE 31-day guided leadership development journaling prompts here.

2. Seek Honest Feedback

Ask your team how your leadership makes them feel. It might be uncomfortable to hear their responses, but feedback is a mirror that reveals what self-perception often misses. It’s a way for you to uncover your blind spots. High EQ leaders don’t just tolerate feedback, they seek it out, reflect on it, and use it to grow. 

But you don’t have to do it alone.

At My Daily Leadership, we work with some of the world’s top leadership development coaches, supporting CEOs, executives, and founders across the globe. With the right coach in your corner, you’ll gain honest, strategic feedback that will help give you clarity, accountability, and a path forward. 

3. Manage the Pause

One of the most powerful EQ micro-skills is the ability to pause. Especially when emotions are running high, a small pause creates space for choice. It helps you respond thoughtfully instead of reacting impulsively. Whether you're delivering tough feedback or navigating a crisis, the pause is your first act of self-regulation and it often determines how the moment unfolds.

4. Lead with Empathy

To put it simply, empathy is about understanding other people’s perspectives. So to build EQ - get curious. Ask questions like “What’s behind this reaction?” or “What might this person be feeling?” Leaders who lead with empathy build stronger relationships, reduce conflict, and create more psychologically safe environments where people feel understood.

5. Stay Grounded in Purpose

When the pressure is high, EQ gives you the tools to return to your core values and lead with clarity rather than chaos. Purpose acts as your emotional anchor. It keeps you centred, aligned, and resilient, especially in uncertain or high-stakes moments.You simply can’t do this without the focus and control that EQ provides.

Emotional Intelligence for Leaders Is Foundational Not Optional 

The best leaders aren’t the most experienced or the most technical, they’re the most emotionally intelligent.

They lead teams that feel seen, heard, and motivated. They handle conflict with maturity and steer their organisations with confidence and clarity. They embed values deeply, because they embody those values themselves.

And, well who wouldn’t want to be a leader like that? 

If you do, you know what to do. 

The sooner you build your EQ muscle, the stronger your leadership becomes.

Start Developing Your EQ Today

Our award-winning book, My Daily Leadership: A Powerful Roadmap for Leadership Success, is designed to help you develop your EQ. The book itself is a structured, self-coaching, EQ-building experience. 

Through carefully designed prompts, you’ll explore your emotional triggers, refine your leadership behaviors, and develop the daily habit of reflection. You'll be guided to build the core EQ traits of self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, motivation, and social skill all while strengthening your strategic and emotional impact as a leader.

Get your copy of the book today and start developing the EQ that drives lasting leadership success.