Emotional Intelligence Skills Can Help Business Aviation Leaders Succeed | NBAA

As rapid change and a challenging workforce environment redefine the business aviation landscape, more leaders may need to connect with their teams on a visceral level. Industry experts say this can achieved through the proven techniques and principles of emotional intelligence, which focus on engagement, awareness and empathy.

“It used to be the case that a job was a job, but that world no longer exists,” explained Lisa Archambeau, CAM, vice president, facilitator and strategist at ServiceElements International. “You can attribute many reasons for that change – generational shifts, a global pandemic, workforce shortages and more – but employees value workplaces where they feel respected and heard. Managers must care about the overall well-being of their teams and not just whether they can do the job.”

Archambeau defined emotional intelligence as “the critical ability that allows managers the necessary awareness to deliver this deeper level of leadership. Emotional intelligence drives you to try to understand others’ perspectives, wants and needs, giving you the ability to have more honest, open conversations.”

Emotional intelligence is a learned skill, elevated by regular and consistent practice, said Kenny Mazingo, regional customer service sales manager for Dassault Falcon. “Formal study is useful, but the power of emotional intelligence is knowing how you interact with others. Find a partner, a mentor, a life coach, a boss, someone you respect who can sit with you and have an honest conversation. And be open to feedback. No one knows everything, and once you are aware of your strengths and weaknesses, you can work on them to become a better leader,” Mazingo said.

“You must also be accepting of the concept of emotional intelligence,” Mazingo added. “Emotional intelligence improves both your professional and personal relationships. It gives you the skills to be more accepting as a person, both of others and yourself, and helps you appreciate how your words, actions and demeanor can affect others.”

Also, it’s important for managers to recognize moments when emotional intelligence is needed. “When you have people saying they are frustrated, or they’re saying things like ‘this is tough for me to tell you,’ that’s a good sign that you need to be more emotionally intelligent,” said Archambeau. “In those moments, pause to ask a trusted colleague for guidance, consider a different approach, ask about how you could do something better and try to re-engage with greater sensitivity,” she added.

Ultimately, emotional intelligence enhances leadership by fostering trust, improving communication and strengthening team cohesion.

As Archambeau noted, “By prioritizing awareness, empathy and engagement, managers can create environments where employees feel valued and want to stay.”