Case Study. Leaders with High Emotional Intelligence

Emotional Intelligence shapes our everyday lives. It is powerful in guiding our decisions, building relationships, and achieving personal growth. But leaders often don’t prioritise it enough. Here at MiM, we believe that tuning into your emotions and the emotions of others can unlock a world of potential for all.

Some companies and leaders realise the worth of EQ and harness it to improve outcomes for everyone around them. Join us while we examine three inspiring examples of high EQ in action and its positive impact.

1)Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google.

Alphabet CEO Pichai, is one of the world’s highest paid executives, earning $226 million in 2022. Much of Google’s enormous success can be attributed to his leadership style, as their former CEO. He exemplifies high emotional intelligence (EQ). Pichai’s journey from an engineer to becoming CEO in 2015 shows the transformative impact that emotional intelligence can have on organisational culture.

He was instrumental in orchestrating some major accomplishments for Google.

Products under his watch include;

• Google's web browser, Chrome
• The Android mobile operating system.
• He also helped negotiate Google’s $3.2 billion deal to acquire Nest Labs in 2014.

Known for his humility, empathy, and ability to connect with employees, Pichai cultivated a culture of psychological safety and innovation at Google, and now at Alphabet. His EQ-driven leadership style encourages open communication, diversity of thought, and employee risk-taking.

Empathy and Employee Engagement:

Pichai's empathetic leadership fosters a sense of belonging and inclusivity within Google's diverse workforce. He boosts morale and motivates teams to achieve shared goals by understanding and valuing employees' perspectives.

Decision-Making and Innovation:

Pichai's EQ enables him to make strategic decisions that balance analytical rigour with consideration for human impact. This approach propels Google's innovation, empowering teams to experiment, learn from failures, and drive technological advancements.

Crisis Management and Resilience:

Pichai's EQ allows him to navigate complexities with composure and integrity during challenging times, such as regulatory scrutiny or internal conflicts. His transparent communication and decisive actions build confidence and maintain stakeholder trust.

Pichai's emphasis on emotional intelligence has transformed Google's organisational culture into one that values creativity, collaboration, and continuous learning. By prioritising EQ, Google attracts top talent, retains motivated employees, and maintains its competitive edge in the tech industry.

2)Steven Bartlett, Entrepreneur & Co-founder of Social Chain

Bartlett co-founded Social Chain, a global social media marketing agency, in 2014, at the age of 22, leading it from a startup to a publicly traded company with clients like Apple and Amazon. Under his leadership, Social Chain significantly impacted how brands interact with social media.

Since stepping down from his post at Social Chain, Bartlett has hosted the popular podcast "The Diary of a CEO," where he shares insights into his personal and professional life and interviews other high-profile guests from various sectors. The podcast has been praised for its depth and Bartlett's raw honesty in discussions about entrepreneurship, mental health, and personal development.

• Social Chain’s market value now exceeds $600 million.
• At the age of 26, Forbes estimated his net worth at $68 million, making him one of the wealthiest entrepreneurs in the UK.
• He is the youngest investor on the popular BBC show Dragons Den.

Bartlett understands the value of emotional intelligence in leadership. He encourages leaders to listen, understand, and empathise, as this fosters a more inclusive and supportive environment.

“The best leaders are those who lead with an understanding heart.”

Steven Bartlett

He demonstrates high EQ through the following;

Empathetic Leadership

Consistently demonstrating an understanding of his team’s needs.

Effective Communication

He is known for articulating his ideas clearly and succinctly in his podcasts and public speeches.

Self-Awareness

Bartlett often discusses his journey of personal growth and the lessons he has learned along the way. This trait is critical to emotional intelligence.

Social Skills

He excels at networking and building new relationships, often leading to long-term collaborations or partnerships. These social skills are another central pillar of emotional intelligence.

Motivation

Bartlett's drive and ambition supersede financial gain. He aims to make a positive impact on the world, and his motivation and passion for his various ventures inspire others around him.

Resilience and Adaptability

He has demonstrated ‘bouncebackability’ to setbacks in the past, when things haven’t gone his way. He has been able to adapt to new situations and environments. This resilience is a crucial indicator of emotional intelligence.

Learning from Criticism

Bartlett views criticism as an opportunity for growth rather than something to take personally and to discourage him. This fresh approach to feedback demonstrates maturity and emotional intelligence.

Influence and inspiration

Through his public speaking role and active social media presence, Bartlett has a broad audience, and his influence is far-reaching, particularly with younger generations. His ability to positively affect the thoughts and actions of others demonstrates high emotional intelligence.

3)Johnson & Johnson

Johnson & Johnson, a global corporation known for its healthcare products, has incorporated emotional intelligence into its leadership development and employee engagement strategies. Joaquin Duato, the current chairman and CEO, occupies the top leadership position. While he is responsible for the strategic direction of the company, including initiatives related to emotional intelligence, many leaders will manage the specific implementation of them.

They recognise that influential leaders must be capable of managing their own emotions and understanding the feelings of others. Their training programmes often focus on self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management.

• In 2023, the company generated approximately $85 billion total revenue. 
• It offers all employees access to a course called Energy for Performance®(E4P), a two-day programme related to health and wellbeing.
• In 2017 current CEO Joaquin Duato was named an Honorable Mentor by the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association.

Employee Assessment and Training

The company uses various tools and assessments to help employees identify and develop their emotional intelligence skills. These assessments might include feedback mechanisms that allow employees to understand how their emotional intelligence impacts their work and relationships at the office.

Performance Management

Emotional intelligence is considered a critical competency in Johnson & Johnson's performance management process. Leaders and managers are evaluated on their business results and how they achieve them, including their ability to demonstrate empathy, communicate effectively, and build relationships.

Organisational Culture

Johnson & Johnson strives to create a supportive, inclusive culture that values and promotes emotional intelligence. This is obvious in their emphasis on collaboration, teamwork, and open communication across all levels of the organisation.

Employee Support Programmes

The company provides various support programmes that contribute to emotional well-being, such as employee assistance programmes, mental health resources, expanded parental leave policies, fertility and surrogacy support, among many others.

In all three examples, the companies and brands have gone from strength to strength because of the value leaders have placed on emotional intelligence.

#google #alphabet #stevenbartlett #johnsonandjohnson

Author

 Stephen McCann, Founder of Johari 360.com – MiM's EQ 360° Assessment Platform