In the Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous (VUCA) business environment of today, leaders play a critical role. Leadership, at its core, is all about influencing people’s behaviour, thoughts and commitment to achieve certain outcomes. Leadership is also about being able to connect with others emotionally. Effective leaders are able to make people feel valued while getting things done. This is where the power of Emotional Intelligence (EQ) comes into play. Effective leaders recognise that without engaging and improving their mastery of EQ skills, sustained achievement will prove elusive.

However, as important as EQ continues to prove itself to be, research findings by Six Seconds, an EQ Training and Research Organisation, show that there has been a downward trend in global EQ score since 2011. With a decline in EQ, people will find it increasingly difficult to connect and collaborate with others. The research team believe that this decrease comes as a result of increased stress and chaos – all symptoms of the VUCA environment in which we operate. To be successful, organisations will need their leaders and managers to consciously make an effort to adopt a mindfulness approach to explore and master EQ Skills. Without actively working on improving EQ competencies, our workforce, and leaders in particular, will find it increasingly difficult to get anything done.