Why Every Coach Should Care About Emotional Intelligence

How emotional intelligence can turn insight into behavioural change

Picture two coaching conversations.

1. In the first, a client talks in circles about a ‘difficult’ colleague, never quite identifying what's actually going on.

2. In the second, the same client names exactly which behaviours are getting in the way, why they happen, and what to do differently next time.

The difference often comes down to emotional intelligence.

Most people are familiar with emotional intelligence as a concept. But bringing it into coaching practice, rather than just talking about it, is where the real value lies.

What emotional intelligence actually means 

Emotional intelligence isn't about being overly emotional. It's a set of emotional and social skills that shape how well someone perceives and expresses themselves, builds relationships, copes with pressure, and uses emotional information to make good decisions. As emotional intelligence researcher David Caruso puts it, "emotional intelligence is not the triumph of heart over head, but the intersection of both".

Why it matters for your clients 

The evidence for developing emotional intelligence is strong. It's a proven predictor of transformational leadership, and people with high emotional intelligence tend to communicate more effectively and build stronger team relationships as a result. Emotional intelligence is also consistently linked to better job performance, and acts as a buffer against stress, helping people manage the demands of their role. In short, clients with stronger emotional intelligence tend to lead, communicate, and cope with stress better.

Why it matters for you as a coach 

Bringing emotional intelligence into your coaching practice pays off in three ways:

• More effective coaching. Organisations that build emotional intelligence into their coaching are more likely to see the emotional and social skills that drive performance and ROI.

• Stronger relationships. Emotional intelligence skills, such as empathy, are central to building the trust that underpins any successful coaching relationship.

• Data-driven insight. A structured emotional intelligence assessment gives you a blueprint for the work ahead, highlighting strengths and development areas you might not uncover through conversation alone.

Using emotional intelligence in coaching 

1. Start with everyday prompts

Introduce prompts with your clients that are mapped to key emotional intelligence areas:

• Self-regard: Make a note of your greatest strengths and achievements each day.

• Empathy: Ask people questions and listen actively to their response.

• Optimism: Identify your pessimistic thoughts and challenge their truth.

These small, practical prompts open the door to deeper conversations about how a client’s emotional intelligence shows up at work.

2. Go deeper with a formal assessment

When used well, an emotional intelligence assessment like the EQ-i 2.0 & EQ 360 can become the foundation for deeper, more focused coaching conversations that move a client from initial insight to behavioural change:

• Spotting derailment risks. Assessment results can flag the emotional intelligence behaviours quietly holding someone back, giving clients the self-awareness to manage their impact and work more effectively.

• Building transformational leadership. For leaders who've already mastered the technical side of their role, an assessment can highlight the emotional intelligence skills needed to lift team performance.

• Identify blind spots. Use the multi-rater version, the EQ 360, to add colleagues’ perspectives alongside the client’s self-report. This can reveal blind spots and hidden strengths to further enrich the coaching conversation.

Next steps 

Already accredited in EQ-i 2.0 & EQ 360? Get in touch and we will help you find the right next step, from a refresher to support planning your next client debrief.

Not yet accredited? The EQ-i 2.0 & EQ 360 assessments offer a scientifically validated way to measure a client's current emotional intelligence and track their development over time. Becoming accredited means you can offer clients this kind of feedback directly, backed by a robust, proven model. Find out more about EQ-i 2.0 & EQ 360 certification.

Contact us today to talk about bringing emotional intelligence into your coaching practice.