Leadership: From Old School to Emotional Intelligence (EQ): Rethinking Leadership Norms

Image/Canva Alt-text: Four people in an office engaged in a discussion with laptops and charts

The jokes, the shouting, the fist‑banging on the table… are these really signs of leadership?

Emotions are central to how we adapt to life’s challenges, yet not all emotions are welcomed or received equally.

Culture plays a significant role in shaping what is deemed acceptable emotional behaviour. Those who deviate from “the norm” often risk being sidelined or even ostracised. And, when emotions are expressed by leaders, the stakes are higher still, as power dynamics amplify their impact.

Today’s workplaces are multi-generational. For some, certain emotions are considered inappropriate in professional settings. While others believe that belonging requires the freedom to bring one’s authentic self to work.

It’s quite common to hear younger generations dismissed as “too emotional” by those who reminisce about a time when office jokes were freely shared. Yet we must ask: were those jokes genuinely funny, and at whose expense? And, if they were funny to you, was the workplace ever the right place for them?

One might even argue that traditional leadership was and is itself, overly emotional, often marked by shouting, sometimes fist‑banging on the table, and public humiliation of those labelled as underperformers, all under the guise of “motivation”.

While managing a multi‑generational workforce can be complex, those who lead with EQ recognise that younger colleagues are often not simply “over sensitive”, but are instead, looking to end cycles of bullying, inappropriate and outdated behaviours. 

A leader who leads with emotional intelligence questions past practices, understands that ignoring poor behaviour is tantamount to endorsing it.  They're well aware that leadership is always under observation; every word, gesture, and silence, sends a signal.

EQ leadership means recognising that command‑and‑control belongs to the past. Today’s leaders must adapt to multi‑generational cultures where authenticity matters. This is why, EQ leaders view criticism as constructive, rather than personal because they know they don't have all the answers.

Leading with EQ means leading with empathy and humility and this leadership skill begins with self-awareness.

If you’d like bespoke insights on embedding inclusive leadership (built on EQ) in your organisation, then please free to connect with and/or message me on LinkedIn or, visit our home page here @ ExecutiveGlobalCoaching.com to learn more

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3. Inclusive Leadership in the era of AI

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