Leadership in Action: Adapting with Emotional Intelligence

This week, I had the joy of facilitating a powerful session titled “Identifying Your Leadership Style and Adapting It to Different Contexts.” It was one of those workshops that reminds me why I love this work so much — the energy, the curiosity, and the meaningful engagement from every single participant.

We began with a simple premise: There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to leadership. Drawing on Daniel Goleman’s six leadership styles, each participant had completed a pre-workshop quiz to uncover their natural, default style. It was fascinating to see the self-awareness this sparked. Knowing your go-to style is only the first step — the real growth lies in learning when and how to flex and adapt.

Throughout the session, we explored the many ways context shapes effective leadership — from short- and long-term goals to shifting environments, team dynamics, and moments of change. Adaptability isn’t a soft skill. It’s a strategic advantage.

I also introduced the five pillars of Emotional Intelligence and took the group through a powerful lesson in self-awareness using the Johari Window — a tool that never fails to generate insight. From there, we dove deeper into how emotional intelligence underpins leadership agility, and the group explored tools in smaller triads to sharpen their emotional skills in real time.

We wrapped up with a thought-provoking real-life case study, which challenged participants to apply what they had learned — identifying leadership styles in action and the emotional intelligence at play.

What stayed with me most was the level of engagement. This wasn’t passive learning. Every participant contributed, reflected, and shared with intention. And the message I kept hearing? “I’m leaving with a deeper understanding of myself and the tools to lead more effectively.”

That’s the magic — when learning becomes something that doesn’t end with the session, but continues to unfold in daily leadership moments.

If you’re curious about how emotional intelligence and adaptable leadership styles can support your growth, I’d love to stay connected.

Subscribe to my newsletter for reflections, tools, and upcoming sessions by dropping me an email at [email protected].

The journey continues — with awareness, adaptability, and heart.