I would start by explaining to my CEO the valuable benefits of EQ in their leadership style, their relationships and the performance of their team. Once they learn to remain calm under pressure and evaluate situations objectively, their decisions' impact would improve dramatically. Once they create an environment of listening, trust, empathy and respect, their team will fly. Once they become adaptable and resilient, they can succeed in any setbacks the business environment causes. How can they achieve all these? Of course through Executive Coaching, continuous practise and accountability! Would love to hear what else a CEO would need in order to affect positively their decision-making abilities right now!

To support a CEO in improving emotional intelligence for better decision-making, start by helping them develop self-awareness. Encourage reflection on their own responses and the impact of these on others, fostering empathy toward team dynamics. Role-playing challenging scenarios can help them anticipate emotional responses and refine their approach. Regular feedback from trusted colleagues can offer insightful. Provide tools for stress management, such as mindfulness practices, to help regulate responses during high-pressure situations. Encourage them to prioritize active listening in meetings, enabling more thoughtful, balanced decisions. Over time, these strategies can lead to a more emotionally aware leadership.

Helping your CEO enhance emotional intelligence (EI) can lead to more informed decision-making. Start by providing EI training, focusing on self-awareness and empathy to improve interpersonal relationships. Encourage regular feedback sessions where team members can share insights, fostering an open culture. Introduce mindfulness practices to help the CEO manage stress and become more attuned to their emotions and those of others. Additionally, recommend coaching or mentoring from EI experts to refine their skills. Finally, promote a data-driven approach to decision-making that considers team morale and engagement, ensuring that emotional factors are integrated with analytical thinking for balanced outcomes.

From my experience with CEOs and seniors leaders, helping them slow down and become more intentional, rather than reactive, is key. And helping them see that speed doesn't equate with effectiveness. This shift creates space to notice their own and others’ emotions—a foundation of emotional intelligence. Practical tools like regular check-ins, pausing before major decisions, and debriefing interactions can deepen self-awareness. As this habit builds, it naturally strengthens other EI pillars and can cause a powerful ripple effect in their leadership.

It might sound trivial but Leaders can neither understand nor manage others emotions if they can't understand or manage their own emotions. Leaders who aren't compassionate with their team members lack most of the times self compassion. Let's start there! let's start by rewiring the way leaders perceive emotions, how they process them and how they professionally manage them.