Let’s be honest—many of us have been taught that business is all about strategy, performance, and keeping our feelings in check. Emotions? Leave those at the door. But here’s the truth: emotions don’t take coffee breaks. They show up with us in every meeting, every email, every conversation—and they shape everything from productivity to trust to team culture. And that’s why emotional intelligence is critical. Learning to be bigger and stronger than our emotions is key.
Whether you’re leading a team, planning an event, or building a brand, people aren’t just looking at what you do—they’re feeling how you do it.
Your clients, your staff, your audience—they’re not just trusting you with their time or attention. They’re trusting you with their uncertainty, their energy, and their emotional safety.
This is where emotional intelligence (EI) comes in. It’s every leader’s superpower.
And no, emotional intelligence isn’t about being overly emotional. It’s not about holding hands and singing kumbaya in a conference room. It’s about showing up with clarity, empathy, and intention—especially when things get hard.
So let’s talk about the F-word.
Feelings.
We all have them. But too often in professional spaces, we pretend we don’t.
We get overwhelmed but act composed. We feel unappreciated but stay silent. We’re anxious, exhausted, disconnected—and then we wonder why performance is flat and relationships feel strained.
But here’s the truth: emotionally intelligent leadership isn’t soft—it’s smart.
It’s what helps us ask:
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“How am I showing up today?”
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“What kind of energy am I creating in the room?”
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“What kind of emotional wake am I leaving behind?”
Because make no mistake—every interaction leaves a mark. Every tone of voice, every email, every raised eyebrow. That’s your emotional wake. It ripples through your workplace, your audience, your family—and it either builds trust or erodes it.
I’ll be honest. After my mom passed away last year, I wasn’t showing up as my best self. I was grieving, irritable, distracted. And it was my fiancé Ian who gently pointed it out: “Your grief is showing up as anger.” That moment reminded me—unspoken emotions don’t just disappear. They leak. They spill into our relationships, our work, our leadership.
So if you’re leading anyone—clients, staff, students, a room full of conference attendees—you need to lead emotionally first. Not by fixing everyone. Not by performing perfection. But by showing up with presence, compassion, and the courage to feel. And that’s what it looks like to lead with emotional intelligence
Want to build trust that lasts?
Try these simple shifts:
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Swap “What’s wrong?” with “What’s coming up for you right now?”
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Before jumping into tasks, ask: “How are we, really?”
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When tension rises, pause and name what’s happening—emotionally.
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Make space for psychological safety, not just performance metrics.
And don’t forget: taking care of others starts with taking care of you.
Try this quick 5-minute emotional check-in:
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What am I feeling?
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What triggered this?
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What do I need right now?
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What can I let go of?
This is how we build emotional resilience—not by pretending we’re fine, but by checking in, owning our feelings, and leading from the inside out.
Your strategy may get you noticed.
But your emotional intelligence?
That’s what makes people trust you, follow you, and come back for more.
Because in today’s world, people don’t just want to be impressed.
They want to feel safe.
They want to feel seen.
They want to feel like they matter.
That’s what emotionally strong leadership is all about.
To learn more about the benefits of welcoming your emotions in the workplace, check out our Top 3 Benefits of Welcoming Emotions at Work blog.
And if you’re looking to inspire your audience, deepen team connection, or transform how your organization leads—let’s make it happen.
✨ If you’re planning a conference or corporate event, check out my signature keynotes and see how I bring emotional intelligence to the stage in a way that’s relatable, research-based, and refreshingly real.
✨ Or, if you’re ready to invest in your people and build stronger, emotionally intelligent teams, explore our workshops over at EI Experience—my leadership development and training company dedicated to helping professionals grow from the inside out.
Let’s elevate your leadership. Together.
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