Emotional intelligence

What is emotional intelligence?

Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize and manage your own emotions and to read and respond well to other people's. Psychologists Peter Salovey and John Mayer set out a framework for it in a 1990 journal article, treating it as a set of skills. Daniel Goleman's 1995 book of the same name, and his later HBR article on leadership, carried the idea into business.

Why it matters to a revenue leader

Sales management is full of emotional moments, such as a seller who just lost a large bid or a customer upset about a failed inspection. A manager who handles those moments well keeps sellers talking about problems early. A manager who reacts badly teaches the team to hide bad news, and it shows up later as a forecast surprise. For a CRO, emotional intelligence weighs heavily when promoting a top seller into management, since closing skill and the ability to read a team are different strengths. Treat it as one input alongside results and judgment, and look for evidence of it in how the person has handled setbacks and conflict.

A branch sales manager at a testing and inspection company notices a seller has gone quiet in team meetings since losing a renewal. In their next one-on-one, the manager asks how the loss landed before asking about pipeline. The seller admits he has been avoiding the customer's other sites, and the two agree on who will visit them and when.