EQ

Hey everyone! So, I’ve been thinking a lot about something that’s become super important to me in Human Resource Management: emotional intelligence in leadership. You know, as I’ve been moving from psychology into HR for my PhD, I kept noticing this pattern: the “best” leaders aren’t always the ones who are the smartest or have the most brilliant strategies. Honestly, sometimes it’s the opposite. The leaders who really succeed are the ones who can read people, understand emotions—theirs and everyone else’s—and use that to guide their decisions.

I remember during one of my internships, I was watching this manager who, on paper, was perfect. You’d think everything would go smoothly, right? But no… the team felt tense, disconnected, and frankly, a bit frustrated. Meanwhile, another manager, not as technically perfect, took the time to listen, ask questions, check in with people, notice even the tiny things like someone’s frown or hesitation. And the difference? Wow. Conflicts got resolved faster, the team worked better together, and morale—well, it just felt lighter, happier. And I thought to myself, wow, this is what makes leadership real. That’s when it hit me: EQ isn’t just a nice skill—it can make or break a leader.

So, what exactly is emotional intelligence? I like thinking of it in four parts: self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, and social skills. Self-awareness… that’s noticing your own moods and biases and how they affect people around you. Self-regulation is about staying calm when things get stressful, even when your brain is screaming “panic!” Empathy? Well, that’s really trying to step into someone else’s shoes—seeing what they feel, why they act a certain way, and responding in a way that builds trust instead of tension. And social skills… that’s just a fancy way of saying being able to communicate, resolve conflicts, and get people moving in the same direction.

I’ve also seen this play out in university projects. There’s always that one person who’s technically brilliant, but dominates the conversation or misses how the team feels. And then there’s the person with high EQ—they ask what everyone thinks, notice when someone is frustrated or quiet, and somehow the team just clicks. We get more done, people feel heard, and I leave thinking, this is why emotional intelligence matters.

Honestly, the thing that surprises me most is how often EQ beats traditional intelligence in real-life leadership. You can be the smartest person in the room, but if you can’t connect with people, motivate them, or read the room, it doesn’t matter as much. On the flip side, a leader who really understands people—even if they’re not a technical wizard—can get incredible results. And that’s exactly why I keep studying this: because it affects everything—from how teams feel, to how people work together, to whether organizations survive challenges or thrive.

So yeah, if there’s one thing I’ve learned (and keep learning every day), it’s this: emotional intelligence isn’t optional. It’s essential. And the more I see it in action, the more I realize that leadership is as much about hearts as it is about minds.