ESA Skill 1: Building Emotional & Social Intelligence at Work
- The Open Mind Institute
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
At TOMI, we believe the future of work isn’t defined by technical expertise alone—it’s driven by the human skills that enable individuals and teams to adapt, connect, and thrive.
That’s why we’ve identified the 12 Essential Skills for the Age (ESA)—a framework designed to strengthen resilience, collaboration, and performance in today’s ever-changing workplaces.
Over the next 12 weeks, we’ll be delving into each of these 12 skills, explaining why they matter and sharing practical ways to develop them. These include:
Emotional & Social Intelligence - understanding people
Adaptive Thinking - thriving in uncertainty
Conflict Navigation - turning tension into progress
Collaborative Communication - fostering trust and clarity
Digital & AI Dexterity - embracing technology with confidence
Creative Problem Solving - unlocking innovation
…and more.
Each week, you’ll discover how to apply these skills to yourself, your team, and your workplace culture.
Week 1: Emotional & Social Intelligence
If technical skills get the job done, emotional and social intelligence (ESI) ensures we get the job done together.
At its core, ESI is about two things:
Emotional Intelligence—recognising, understanding, and managing your own emotions.
Social Intelligence—recognising and responding effectively to the emotions, behaviours, and dynamics of others.
Together, they form a powerful foundation for building stronger relationships, reducing conflict, and creating trust in teams.
Why Emotional & Social Intelligence Matters
For individuals: ESI helps you manage stress, stay calm under pressure, and communicate with empathy. It gives you the edge in navigating tricky conversations and maintaining stronger personal connections.
For teams: High ESI builds trust and psychological safety. Teams with strong emotional awareness collaborate more effectively, bounce back from setbacks faster, and stay motivated even in difficult times.
For leaders: Research shows that up to 90% of the difference between average and high-performing leaders comes down to emotional intelligence. Leaders with high ESI inspire loyalty, build engaged teams, and reduce costly turnover.
Put simply, a team’s ability to manage emotions directly impacts its ability to manage performance.
Common Challenges Teams Face Without ESI
Misunderstandings escalate into unnecessary conflict.
Stress and burnout go unnoticed until it’s too late.
Feedback conversations become defensive rather than constructive.
Collaboration breaks down due to a lack of trust.
Leaders unintentionally create disconnection by focusing only on results.
On the whole, these are not “personality clashes” or “culture problems”; they are symptoms of low emotional and social intelligence.
How to Strengthen Emotional & Social Intelligence
Here are practical steps individuals and teams can take to build this skill:
1. Practise Emotional Awareness
Pause regularly to notice your emotions. Ask yourself: What am I feeling right now, and why? Leaders can model this by encouraging emotional check-ins at the start of meetings.
2. Build Empathy Through Listening
Instead of jumping to respond, focus on listening to understand. Teams can introduce “listening rounds” where each person shares without interruption.
3. Manage Stress Responses
Learn techniques to regulate your emotions, e.g., deep breathing, reframing, or stepping back before reacting. As a team, normalise short pauses to reset in high-pressure situations.
4. Recognise Social Cues
Pay attention to tone, body language, and group energy. Teams with strong social intelligence “read the room” and adjust communication styles to fit the context.
5. Give & Receive Feedback Openly
Feedback shouldn’t feel like a threat. Encourage curiosity by framing feedback as: “Here’s what I noticed, here’s the impact, what do you think?”
6. Develop a Culture of Psychological Safety
People with high ESI feel safe to speak up without fear. Leaders can foster this by rewarding honesty, encouraging mistakes as learning opportunities, and leading with vulnerability.
The Ripple Effect of High ESI
When individuals and teams strengthen ESI, the benefits go far beyond better communication:
Stronger engagement - people feel seen and valued.
Higher resilience - teams recover from setbacks faster.
Better decision-making - less clouded by stress or conflict.
Increased collaboration - trust speeds up problem-solving.
Sustainable performance - results are achieved without burnout.
ESI is not a “nice to have”; it’s the cornerstone of modern leadership and team success.
💡 Next Week: We’ll explore Self-Awareness & Attention-Control—the ability to understand your triggers, strengths, and blind spots while staying focused under pressure.
If you’re ready to explore what’s possible with ATAR, we’d love to start that conversation.
Xin Yi Ng (Michelle)
Research & Development Lead
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