Handling a crisis at work? Emotional intelligence is your best tool

More than 95% of founding executives stated that Emotional Intelligence (EQ) in leadership is more important than IQ. And a lack of EQ is one of the top reasons for career derailment. 

In this article, we'll explain emotional intelligence: Why it's essential in times of crisis and how to build it in leaders and their teams.

What is emotional intelligence?

EQ, first coined in 1990 by researchers John Mayer (not the singer) and Peter Salovey, refers to the ability to understand, manage, and influence one's own and others' emotions. 

Emotional intelligence involves:

• Self-awareness: Recognizing and understanding your own emotions, thoughts, and behaviors.
• Self-regulation: Managing and controlling one's emotional responses, particularly in challenging situations.
• Empathy: Understanding and sharing the feelings of others.

Why does EQ matter in a crisis?

Most of us don’t make our best decisions when we feel overwhelmed or distressed. But, we do when we’re calm, centered, and regulated — all of which are hallmark signs of high emotional intelligence.

Leaders with high emotional intelligence are better at handling the complexities of crisis management. They can navigate emotional dynamics, maintain stability, and guide their teams through challenges with clarity and compassion.

Leaders who are emotionally intelligent during times of crisis can:

• Make better decisions, recognize the impact of their behavior on others, and adapt their approach as needed. (Self-aware)
• Remain flexible and avoid making rash decisions or displaying erratic behavior that could undermine team confidence and morale. (Self-regulated)
• Provide others with the support needed to navigate difficult times, improving team cohesion, morale, and trust. (Empathetic)

Here’s what this looks like in practice:

A software company faces a significant data breach, causing employee anxiety and customer outrage. Sarah, an emotionally intelligent CEO:

• Remains composed: Sarah self-regulates by acknowledging her initial panic but quickly regains composure. Her ability to remain calm prevents further panic within the organization.
• Offers team support: She empathizes with her team's stress and acknowledges customer fears, showing genuine concern in her communications.
• Leads with transparency: Sarah provides regular, honest updates and creates open channels for questions and feedback.
• Takes action: Sarah quickly assembles a response team and adapts strategies as new information emerges.

How to develop emotional intelligence in leaders

To become more adept at emotional intelligence — and make your leaders better people managers — leaders should:

Self-reflect and get feedback

Regularly

Encourage leaders to schedule regular check-ins with trusted peers or mentors to gain external perspectives on leadership behaviors and emotional responses. Likewise, ask them to review their actions, decisions, and interactions every few weeks by considering these questions:

• Do I often find it difficult to name or describe my emotions?
• How do I usually react when things don't go as planned?
• How do I usually deal with anger or frustration at work?
• Can I usually sense when someone on my team is feeling stressed or upset, even if they don't say anything?
• Do people often come to me for advice or support, or do they seem hesitant to approach me?
• How do I handle team conflicts or disagreements? Do I address them head-on or avoid them?
  

Post-crisis

Additionally, require that leaders gather feedback after a crisis has occurred. Questions to get you thinking might include:

• How supported did you feel by leadership during the crisis? What specific actions made you feel this way?
• Did you feel safe expressing your worries or challenges to your manager?
• Did you feel your concerns were heard and acknowledged? Can you give examples?

Have your leaders self-assess with questions like:

• Did I create safe spaces for emotional expression, or did I shut down difficult conversations?
• When did I feel most emotionally triggered and how'd that affect my decisions?
• Which of my emotional reactions surprised me during this crisis?
• When did I prioritize being 'strong' over being authentic?

How to cultivate emotional intelligence in teams

Offer EQ trainings and workshops 

Once you’ve assessed where your employees are today and have set specific professional development goals, offer them custom, targeted training materials. 

With tools like Go1, leaders can offer employees classes on stress management, empathy, and communication — all with the goal of building collective emotional intelligence. 

Each class should include interactive elements like group discussions, role-playing, and real-life scenario analysis to make training more engaging and effective. 

An example of scenario-based training might look like this:

The problem: A flagship product at your company has suddenly become unresponsive, impacting thousands of users. The customer service line is ringing constantly, and social media complaints and criticism are bombarding your team. There's no immediate fix.

The task: Ask team members to map out exactly how they’d approach the problem with solutions rooted in self-awareness, self-regulation, and empathy. This should include details on cross-collaboration with team members, external and internal communications, post-crisis follow-up, and more.

Make emotional intelligence your greatest asset

Teaching leaders and their teams how to lead with emotional intelligence in times of crisis can feel abstract. Unlike learning hard skills, which often have more direct measures of success, emotional intelligence can feel more difficult to tackle.

With Go1, you can make soft skill learning just as simple as hard skill learning. We provide easy-to-integrate training content that’s relevant, accessible, and designed to make digital learning a simple part of everyday work.

Ready to get started? Book a demo and see how Go1 can help your team bring emotional intelligence to work every day.