How Can Leaders Improve Their Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence in leadership is no longer optional. In today’s fast-paced, interconnected workplace, how leaders can improve emotional intelligence is one of the most asked questions by professionals who want to lead better, not just manage.

What Is Emotional Intelligence in Leadership?

Emotional intelligence (EI) refers to the ability to recognize, understand, manage, and use emotions—both one’s own and others’—in constructive ways. In leadership, this means creating trust, resolving conflicts well, inspiring others, and making decisions that consider both logic and human feelings.

Why Leaders Need It: Benefits of Emotional Intelligence in Leadership

Here are some of the most reliable benefits:

• Leaders with high EI improve team performance significantly because they communicate better, resolve conflicts faster, and build trust.
• Organisations led by emotionally intelligent leaders see lower turnover rates because people feel valued and understood.
• Emotional intelligence and leadership success are strongly linked: leaders who understand and manage emotions outperform those who rely only on IQ or technical skills.
• Improved decision-making: leaders who practice EI make more balanced decisions, considering both data and human impact.

Core Emotional Intelligence Skills for Leaders

These are some skills that every leader should build:

Skill	What it means / Why it matters
Self awareness for leaders	Recognizing your emotions, your triggers, your strengths and weaknesses. That gives control and clarity.
Self-regulation / Emotional control	Not reacting impulsively; staying calm under pressure.
Empathy in leadership	Understanding others’ viewpoints, feeling what they feel; this builds connection, loyalty.
Social awareness & communication	Reading non-verbal cues, listening actively, being transparent.
Relationship management	Giving constructive feedback, handling conflict, fostering teamwork.

How Leaders Can Improve Emotional Intelligence (Steps & Practices)

Here are actionable steps:

1. Reflection and journaling

Frequent reflection keeps one self-aware. Keep a journal of emotional reactions, their triggers and the responses you had. After a certain amount of time, patterns will begin to show.

2. Request honest feedback

From peers, team members, mentors. Processors like 360-degree feedback will reveal several of your blind spots.

3. Cultivate empathy in everyday exchanges

Listen more; ask open-ended questions around trying to get to the heart of specific feelings leading a person to say something. Do not judge, nor offer immediate solutions.

4. Mindfulness/pausing before reacting

When the emotional temperature rises, take a pause. Get that deep breath in, reflect and choose response. Such an act will strengthen emotional regulation.

5. Developing emotional agility

Be ready to change. Accept uncertainty. Learn from that which you call failure.

6. Improving communication abilities

Use language that is clear, kind and to the point. Watch somebody’s communication in and out of words. Ensure that the person feels heard.

7. Emotional intelligence training for leaders

Formal training, coaching, and workshops can expedite growth. It gives you access to structured feedback, role plays, and skills practice.

The Role of Emotional Intelligence Development for Leaders in Organisations

• When organisations invest in emotional intelligence development for leaders, they often see improvements in morale, creativity, and lower conflict.
• Leadership programs that include EI components also boost retention and make change management easier.
• Companies which train leaders in EI often outperform peers in employee satisfaction surveys.

Fun Fact Organizations see around 20% higher profitability under emotionally intelligent leadership.

FAQs

1. What are the five components of emotional intelligence?

Self-awareness, Self-regulation, Motivation, Empathy, Social skills.

2. How long does it take to improve emotional intelligence?

There is no fixed time. With consistent practice (daily reflection, feedback, training), noticeable changes can happen in weeks to months.

3. Can emotional intelligence be measured?

Yes. Tools like 360-degree feedback, EQ assessments (e.g. EQ-i), and behaviour-based evaluations are common.

4. Is empathy more important than self-awareness for leaders?

They complement each other. Self-awareness is foundational; empathy builds connection. Both are needed for emotional intelligence and leadership success.

Conclusion

Improving leadership emotional intelligence isn’t just nice to have—it’s essential. By working on emotional intelligence skills for leaders like self-awareness, empathy, communication and regulation, leaders unlock many of the benefits of emotional intelligence in leadership, which in turn drive emotional intelligence and leadership success. If you’re serious about how leaders can improve emotional intelligence, using structured training, mindful habits, and feedback loops works.

If you want to begin, start small: reflect daily, ask for feedback, practice empathy. Over time, you’ll see real growth.