How Can Emotional Intelligence Enhance Your Leadership Success? Research Across Four Key Organizational Functions
By Michael J Griffin
5-minute read
Our training and assessment partner, TTISI, has just launched a new and improved EQ profile that measures your Emotional Intelligence.
Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize, understand, manage your own emotions, and empathize with others, to effectively respond & navigate the emotions of others enabling effective communication, problem solving, and decision-making that can lead to more healthy relationships in life, work and community.
The Emotional Quotient (EQ) Report is a game-changer when it comes to professional and team development. It delivers personalized insights coupled with practical actions that can be applied immediately. Through the report, you’ll get a customized snapshot of your ability to sense, understand, and effectively apply emotions across:
The Five Dimensions of EQ:
Self-awareness
Self-regulation
Motivation
Social awareness
Social regulation.
Organizations and you as an individual can use the TTISI EQ Report to:
Reveal emotional strengths and opportunities for leadership.
Kickstart personal and professional growth.
Guide individual or individual development with targeted activities.
Respond effectively to rapidly changing organizational or market conditions.
How to work well with a wide variety of people by being more inclusive.
What is the proof that developing Emotional Intelligence leads to better relationships, success, and possibly a competitive advantage for your organization? I researched AI using Perplexity, Claude, and Gemini to source research on EI across four key organizational functions. I have tried to identify the research sources as well.
Teamwork
A comprehensive review published in the National Institutes of Health database examined 104 peer-reviewed articles and concluded that emotionally intelligent leaders and team members improve work team performance, strengthen communication, and enhance attitudes about work. The review highlights a positive relationship between emotional competence and team productivity, communication, and conflict resolution (1).
Another 2024 study explicitly found a strong positive link between team members’ emotional intelligence and overall team performance. Teams with high EI demonstrated increased problem-solving skills, creativity, empathy, and better conflict resolution. The study also emphasized emotional intelligence as crucial in supporting diversity, inclusion, and job satisfaction in teams (2).
Leadership Development
Goleman's studies show leaders with higher EQ create better workplace climates and achieve superior performance outcomes.
Bar-On's research indicates that emotionally intelligent leaders demonstrate improved decision-making under pressure and stronger team engagement.
Studies by Bradberry and Greaves found that EQ accounts for 58% of job performance across all industries, with the impact being most pronounced in leadership roles.
Additionally, research by Boyatzis reveals that leaders who develop emotional intelligence competencies show measurable improvements in inspiring others, managing conflict, and driving organizational change, resulting in higher employee retention and productivity.
Sales Productivity
Published research shows that emotional intelligence (EI) improves sales productivity primarily through enhancing adaptive selling behavior—the ability to understand and respond effectively to customer emotions and needs.
Emotionally intelligent salespeople can recognize others' feelings, manage their own emotions, and adjust their strategies accordingly, leading to better client relationships and higher sales performance.
Salespeople with high EI excel in key areas such as empathy, allowing them to understand customer emotions and tailor their approach, and self-regulation, which helps them remain composed during objections or rejection. Studies, such as one by Harvard Business Review, show that salespeople with high EI achieve up to 15% higher close rates.
While EI may not directly boost sales outcomes, its positive effects are mediated by skills like empathy, communication, and flexibility. These abilities foster trust, reduce conflict, and improve negotiation, all critical for closing deals and sustaining long-term sales success (1 2).
Managing Change and Develop Resilience
Published research shows that Emotional Intelligence (EI) enhances an individual's ability to manage change and develop resilience by improving emotional regulation, empathy, and adaptability.
High EI helps people understand and manage their own emotions and those of others, reducing resistance to change and fostering engagement. Emotionally intelligent leaders facilitate smoother transitions by communicating empathetically and addressing concerns, which builds trust and lowers anxiety.
Employees with higher EI demonstrate better adaptability by staying calm and confident amid uncertainty, thereby developing greater resilience during organizational or personal change.
Overall, EI is a key predictor of successful change management and sustained psychological resilience (1 2 3)
How might you assess whether our EQ assessments and profiles might boost your organization’s success through people EI development?
First, read the TTISI EQ Report that gives a concise summary of the EQ profile. Download this report here.
I am offering a Free TTISI EQ Report to the first 12 people who send me an email requesting this free EQ Report. You will be sent a link to complete the EQ assessment from Manish Harsora our ELAvate Training Director. After completion, he will email you your free EQ Profile.
Email me at michael.griffin@elavateglobal.com to get your link to complete the EQ assessment.
We at ELAvate are always motivated to serve you in developing your leadership and supporting your organizational success in this rapidly changing world. Emotional Intelligence can support your success.
Michael J Griffin
CEO and Founder of ELAvate
A Leader on the Journey of
Developing his Emotional Intelligence
TTISI Partner in Asia since 1997