Why emotional intelligence is the key to career growth and workplace success

Once, career success was measured by hard skills – a degree from the right university, a list of technical certifications, or the ability to crunch numbers faster than anyone else in the room.

Today, the ground has shifted. The skill that increasingly separates the good from the great – and often paves the way to leadership – isn’t found on a resume. It’s emotional intelligence, or EQ. For ambitious professionals in Singapore, navigating hybrid workplaces, cross-border teams, and rising expectations, EQ is more than just a “nice to have”.

It’s a career advantage that can unlock promotions, strengthen influence, and build resilience in ways that raw expertise alone cannot.

Globally, leaders like Jacinda Ardern, former Prime Minister of New Zealand; Indra Nooyi, former CEO of Pepsico; and Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors, illustrate how empathy – as part of their broader EQ – fuels impact.

Ardern showed that compassion and decisiveness can coexist in crisis leadership. Nooyi fostered loyalty at Pepsico through gestures that emphasised care as a corporate value. Barra transformed the culture at General Motors by making trust and inclusion part of the company’s foundation.

Closer to home, Tan Hooi Ling of Grab and Ho Ching of Temasek Holdings have demonstrated that empathy and people-centred leadership can thrive at the helm of Singapore’s most influential organisations.

Their careers prove that EQ is not just complementary to success – it is central to it.

Research shows EQ outweighs hard skills at work

The link between EQ and career success is stronger than many realise. Research by Talentsmart, which has tested EQ in more than two million professionals worldwide, shows that it accounts for nearly 60 per cent of job performance.

The World Economic Forum ranks it among the top 10 skills of the future, while Catalyst – a global non-profit advocating for inclusive workplaces and women in leadership – reports that managers who show empathy see significantly higher levels of innovation and engagement within their teams.

Why this matters: Promotions and leadership opportunities aren’t won on technical skills alone. They hinge on how well you collaborate, how effectively you influence, and how much trust you inspire – outcomes rooted in emotional intelligence.

High EQ leaders build trust, respect, and stronger teams

EQ shows its power in the everyday situations that make or break reputations. Pitching a new idea? High EQ helps you sense resistance, adjust your tone, find compromise, and win buy-in instead of pushback. Receiving tough feedback? It enables you to regulate your emotions, extract useful lessons, and demonstrate maturity under pressure.

Why this matters: In team settings, emotional intelligence allows you to notice when someone is being left out, or when stress is building before it erupts. Leaders who can address these issues early and bring out the best in their teams are seen as not only competent, but also trustworthy and fair.

In conflicts, EQ helps you de-escalate tension and steer conversations toward resolution – enhancing your credibility as someone who can manage complexity.

Empathy drives innovation and retention

Empathy is a core component of EQ, alongside self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, and social skills. Yet for women, it has long been dismissed as a “soft” or “feminine” trait – undervalued in corporate culture, and often seen as a barrier to authority. Many have felt pressured to suppress it to assert their leadership.

Today, however, companies are recognising that empathetic leadership fuels innovation and retention, making it one of the most sought-after qualities.

Why this matters: The key is reframing empathy as a strategic skill. Far from being the opposite of strength, empathy – when applied effectively – is what makes strength sustainable.

Set yourself apart

As industries evolve and technology reshapes roles, hard skills can quickly become outdated. Emotional intelligence, however, only grows in value. It is the skill that cannot be automated – the differentiator that makes you the person others want to work with and follow.

For women in Singapore striving to rise in fast-moving sectors, EQ is more than a nice-to-have. It is the career superpower that secures promotions, builds networks, and sustains leadership over the long term.

As Indra Nooyi once said: “Leadership is hard to define, and good leadership even harder. But if you can get people to follow you to the ends of the earth, you are a great leader.”

Emotional intelligence is what makes that possible.

Simple habits to put in place now

Unlike IQ, emotional intelligence isn’t fixed – it builds with practice and intention.

• Start with self-awareness. Pay attention to your emotional triggers and reflect on how your reactions affect others.
• Practise self-regulation. Pause before responding in difficult moments – ensure that your reaction adds value rather than heat.
• Strengthen empathy. Put yourself in others’ shoes by asking, “What might this look like from their perspective?” Deep listening helps too – notice tone, pauses, and what’s left unsaid.
• Communicate with care. Small shifts make a big difference – starting feedback with “I noticed…” rather than “You always…” can transform how your message is received.
• Use tools for growth. Journals, mindfulness exercises, or apps can help you track emotions and responses.
• Apply EQ daily. Be deliberate in how you run meetings, manage setbacks, or engage colleagues – over time, these micro-habits compound into real influence.

Quick tips

Pause before reacting in tense situations to give yourself perspective.

• Replace “You always…” with “I noticed…” when offering feedback.
• Listen for tone, pauses and silences, not just words
• Make a point to ask one more open-ended question in every meeting.

Daniel Yap is the former global lead for Binance Academy and HTX Learn. His teams helped guide and educate hundreds and thousands of crypto users on topics ranging from technology to trading.