Emotional Intelligence: The Key to Leading Change

In the printing industry, where legacy practices run deep, leaders who drive real transformation don’t just push strategy onto their teams. As they navigate change, they tap into emotional intelligence (EQ) to overcome resistance, build trust, and create a culture where innovation isn’t feared but embraced. A leader who communicates the why, as well as the what, has a better handle on the emotions behind change—whether it’s helping a sales team adopt new outreach methods or working at introducing automation to the production team. This perspective helps them guide their teams with confidence.

High-EQ leaders don’t just mandate change; they make it meaningful. They take the time to explain how things have changed to necessitate the change in direction. They often will go out of their way to create different opportunities for those affected by the change. When people feel understood and heard, they’re far more willing to step up, take ownership, and help drive the company forward. No guarantees, but it helps.

So, what is emotional intelligence? I have a simple definition that revolves around how well folks can play in the sand box together. Another way to describe it is the ability to recognize, understand, manage, and influence emotions—both in yourself and others. Five primary components to emotional intelligence that I’ve learned are:

• Self-Awareness – the ability to understand your emotions and their impact on others. Sun Tzu writes about the importance of knowing yourself first.
• Self-Regulation – managing your emotions and staying in control under pressure. “Never let them see you sweat.”
• Motivation – having a strong internal drive to achieve goals. Some may call this grit.
• Empathy – being able to understand and address the emotions of others. Steven Covey might say “seek first to understand, then be understood.”
• Social Skills – the ability to build strong relationships and effectively influence people. This includes communication skills and persuasion. This can be a challenge in multi-generational business environments.

Leaders, and anyone really, can improve their level of EQ in many ways. One way is to study how you make decisions and communicate to teams. Make the time to reflect on your emotional responses and how they may have influenced your behavior. Ask your peers for feedback on how you’re doing – stress open and non-judgmental feedback. Becoming a better listener than a talker also helps. Don’t just listen to respond. And be empathetic to your employees as they navigate the changes to the business. They have a stake in the outcome too as their roles may differ or change all together.

If you want to read more about emotional intelligence and how you can improve your skills, I highly recommend Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Bradberry, Greaves and Lencioni.

The printing business continues to face changes due to technological advancements, shifting customer demands, and increasing competition. Emotional intelligence becomes a crucial leadership skill for any leader looking to drive change effectively. Being adaptable, positive and resilient, top performing leaders set the tone for how their teams navigate transitions.

Finally, change is hard – with high levels of emotional intelligence or not. Don’t change for change’s sake. New isn’t always better – be clear on the why change is necessary and identify the desired outcome of what the new environment will deliver. Now it’s your turn, how has emotional intelligence shaped your leadership journey?

Mike Philie can help validate what’s working and what may need to change in your business. Changing the trajectory of a business is difficult to do while simultaneously operating the core competencies. Mike provides strategy and insight to ambitious owners and CEOs in the Graphic Communications Industry by providing direct and realistic insight, not being afraid to voice the unpopular opinion and helping leaders navigate change through a common sense and practical approach. Learn more at www.philiegroup.com, LinkedIn or email at mphilie@philiegroup.com.