Mastering Emotional Intelligence: The Leadership Superpower You Can Build

"Emotional intelligence is the sine qua non of leadership." — Daniel Goleman

I recently read an HBR article that discusses how in today’s leadership leadership landscape, success demands more than just technical expertise or strategic vision. Leaders must be able to think in multiple dimensions:

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• Expert Thinking – Applying deep, specialized knowledge to solve familiar problems quickly.

• Critical Thinking – Questioning assumptions and analyzing information to avoid bias.

• Strategic Thinking – Seeing the big picture and aligning decisions with long-term goals.

• Systems Thinking – Understanding how parts of a system interact to solve complex problems.

These thinking styles are essential—but they’re not complete without one more critical capability: emotional intelligence (EQ).

EQ is what enables leaders to apply these thinking styles with clarity, empathy, and influence. It’s the connective tissue between insight and impact. Without it, even the most brilliant ideas can fall flat.

In this article, we’ll explore why EQ is the leadership superpower you can build—and how tools like the Hogan Assessment and TRACOM Social Style can help you develop it.

Why EQ > IQ in Leadership

While IQ may get you in the door, EQ determines how far you go. Emotional intelligence is the foundation of:

• Trust – People follow leaders they feel safe with.

• Influence – EQ helps you connect, not just communicate.

• Resilience – Leaders with high EQ bounce back from setbacks and help others do the same.

In fact, research by Daniel Goleman and others shows that EQ accounts for nearly 90% of the difference between high performers and their peers in leadership roles. Yet, many leaders don’t intentionally develop it—until they hit a wall.

In coaching, I often see leaders who are brilliant strategists or operators but struggle with team dynamics, feedback, or executive presence. The missing link? Emotional intelligence.

The Hidden Cost of Low Self-Awareness 🔍

Self-awareness is the cornerstone of EQ. Without it, leaders can’t regulate their emotions, adapt their behavior, or understand how they’re perceived. At the beginning of my coaching engagements, I use a few approaches to help determine the leader's level of self-awareness, mainly through inquiry. Assessments can help broaden that understanding, for both the leader and the coach. Using the Hogan Assessment, I help leaders uncover patterns in their personality that may be helping—or hindering—their leadership.

For example:

• A high Bold score may indicate confidence and ambition, but when overused, it can come across as arrogance or dominance.

• A high Reserved score may reflect thoughtfulness and independence, but may also lead to emotional distance or lack of approachability.

These traits aren’t inherently bad—but when leaders are unaware of how they show up under stress or pressure, they risk damaging relationships, eroding trust, and stalling their growth. Self-awareness isn’t just about introspection—it’s about understanding how others experience you. Intent vs. impact, I like to say. That’s where coaching and assessments like Hogan become powerful tools for transformation.

What TRACOM’s Social Style Reveals 🧩

While self-awareness is internal, social awareness is external—how well you read others and adapt to them. That’s where the TRACOM Social Style & Versatility model comes in. This model identifies four primary styles:

• Driving – Fast-paced, results-oriented, decisive

• Expressive – Energetic, enthusiastic, visionary

• Amiable – Supportive, relationship-focused, cooperative

• Analytical – Precise, data-driven, methodical

Each style has strengths—and blind spots. For example:

• A Driver may push for results but overlook emotional cues.

• An Amiable may avoid conflict to preserve harmony, even when tough conversations are needed.

The real power lies in versatility—your ability to flex your style to meet others where they are. Leaders with high versatility are more effective at influencing, resolving conflict, and building trust across diverse teams. In coaching, I use this model to help leaders decode interpersonal friction, improve communication, and lead with greater empathy and agility.

👉 Try This: One Daily EQ Practice

EQ isn’t built overnight—but it can be strengthened with small, consistent habits. Here’s one I recommend to every leader I coach:

• Pause for 10 seconds before responding in a tense moment.

• Ask yourself: What’s really going on here—for me and for them?

This micro-pause, lasting as long as a deep breath or a sip of water, creates space between stimulus and response. It helps you shift from reacting to responding, from defending to understanding, from judging to learning. Over time, this practice builds emotional regulation, empathy, and trust. You can also journal your emotional triggers, ask for feedback, or reflect on how your style impacted a recent interaction. These small steps compound into powerful growth.

What About You? ❓

What’s one moment in your leadership journey where emotional intelligence made all the difference—or where you wish you had used more of it?

Let’s Talk 💬

If you’re a leader looking to grow your emotional intelligence—or a team leader wanting to build EQ across your organization—I’d love to connect. Message me on LinkedIn or Book a Discovery Call to explore how coaching can help you lead with greater clarity, empathy, and impact.

Which area of emotional intelligence do you find most challenging as a leader?

• Self-awareness – Understanding my own emotions and triggers
• Self-regulation – Managing my reactions under pressure
• Social awareness – Reading the emotions and needs of others
• Relationship management–Navigating conflict & building trust

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