The Leadership Edge You Can’t Ignore: Emotional Intelligence & Self-Awareness
When we think about career growth, most of us default to more. More technical skills, more hours, more projects. But what if the real accelerator isn’t about doing more — it’s about seeing yourself more clearly?
Take Tom (not his real name). Technically brilliant, but recently overlooked for leadership opportunities. In our coaching, we discovered a blind spot: in meetings, he was so focused on “getting it right” that he rarely contributed ideas. The PRINT profiling tool I use uncovered why this was happening. Once Tom saw the pattern, he began experimenting with small but meaningful shifts — speaking up earlier, sharing half-formed ideas, inviting discussion. Within three months, he was leading a project team and thriving in a role that finally used his full potential.
That shift didn’t come from another qualification. It came from self-awareness.
Feedback: The Ultimate Stress Test of EQ
If you want to know how emotionally intelligent a culture really is, look at how feedback happens.
Too often, feedback conversations collapse into one-way criticism — leaving the recipient blindsided, defensive, and doubting themselves. The leader may sense the conversation isn’t landing, but they plough ahead anyway, hoping volume will make the point. Productivity evaporates, respect tanks, and trust takes ten steps backwards.
But feedback doesn’t have to be destructive. One simple shift I teach is the 4 I’s™ framework:
I have noticed…
I am curious…
I would like to understand…
I would like to reach an agreement…
This structure flips the script from blame to collaboration. It keeps defensiveness low and creates space for dialogue, not monologues. Imagine the difference if your next tough conversation started with “I have noticed…” instead of an angry download.
Emotional Regulation: The Quiet Culture Shaper
EQ isn’t just about you staying calm under pressure — it’s about the ripple effect your regulation creates in the room.
I’ve been in conversations where emotions spiralled out of control and I didn’t step in. More than a decade later, it remains one of my biggest regrets. But I’ve also witnessed leaders transform tense discussions by staying grounded, listening first, and then responding with clarity. Those are the moments where cultures shift — where people feel safe enough to contribute and know their voice matters.
Your team already has an opinion about how feedback feels in your culture. Do they walk away clear and motivated? Or confused and deflated?
That’s why I created the Team Culture Pulse Check (AU$99) — a fast, affordable way to see how feedback is really landing in your team, where trust and clarity are strong, and where safety may be slipping.
The Data Doesn’t Lie: EQ Outweighs IQ
Research consistently shows that around 80% of leadership success comes from emotional intelligence — not IQ or technical expertise.
Daniel Goleman identifies four domains of EQ:
Self-awareness
Self-management
Social awareness
Relationship management
Leaders who develop these muscles inspire more loyalty, drive higher performance and create workplaces people want to be part of. Yet most of us overestimate our own EQ. That’s why feedback, tools like the PRINT Best Self Survey, and coaching are so powerful. They help us see what others see, not just what we assume we’re projecting.
So here’s the real question:
👉 If your technical ability accounts for only 20% of your success, what are you doing to grow the other 80%?
Next Step: Curious about how emotionally intelligent your culture really is? Book a free clarity call with me or explore the Team Culture Pulse Check today.