Shweta Anand Arora, Director, Cultivating Leadership, India
Emotional Intelligence, Empathy, & Deep Listening Is Good for Business
In the complex times we live in, leadership isn’t just about making decisions—it’s about building trust, inspiring teams, and navigating uncertainty. Qualities like emotional intelligence, empathy, and strong communication aren’t just beneficial; they’re essential.
Research backs this up—leaders with high emotional intelligence are 58% more effective in their roles (TalentSmart). Empathy drives business success too—90% of employees are more likely to stay with an empathetic employer (Forbes). And when it comes to communication, studies show that leaders who communicate effectively can boost team performance by up to 47% (McKinsey).
While these qualities are often associated with women in leadership, the reality is that they are not gendered skills—they are critical leadership competencies.
Organizations must ensure that all leaders, regardless of gender, develop these abilities. Building a leadership culture rooted in emotional intelligence, empathy, and deep listening isn’t just good for inclusion—it’s good for business.
How Collective Wisdom Helped Shweta Navigate through Business Challenges
When I started The Core Questin in 2020, the world was in chaos. A global pandemic, uncertainty at every turn—hardly the ideal conditions for launching a leadership development firm. And yet, in many ways, it was the perfect time.
There were no clear answers, no roadmap to follow. But instead of trying to “figure it out” alone, we leaned into something deeper—collective wisdom. We listened. We made sense of the world together, drawing from different perspectives to piece together a broader, more nuanced view. This not only helped us navigate our own business challenges but also gave us insight into what other leaders were grappling with—what they needed, and where we could help.
That spirit of collaboration and shared sense-making has shaped everything we do. Time and again, it has proven that leadership isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about creating the space to find them, together.
Sound advice: Lean into Who You Are
Let’s be real—despite everything we know about great leadership, women are still told to ‘toughen up’ or worse, ‘man up’ in the workplace. Too often, we see brilliant women making themselves smaller, holding back, or adapting to fit outdated expectations that don’t feel authentic to them.
But here’s the thing: your strengths—whatever they are—are your edge. Emotional intelligence, empathy, and communication aren’t “soft skills”—they’re the skills that build trust, drive performance, and create real impact. And for some, the so-called “masculine” strengths—assertiveness, decisiveness, or competitiveness—come just as naturally. The point isn’t to fit into a mold; it’s to embrace what makes you a strong leader in your own way.
So, lean into who you are. Lead in a way that feels right for you. And let’s push for a world where leadership isn’t about conforming to outdated ideals—it’s about showing up fully, unapologetically, as yourself.
