Navigating Change: The Power of Emotional Intelligence
At Marketplace 2026 in Reno, Amber Benoit explained emotional intelligence and how it can transform tasks on Sunday afternoon in Navigating Change: The Power of Emotional Intelligence.
She started by offering the definition of emotional intelligence from Psychology Today: the ability to identify and manage your own emotions and those of others.
According to the magazine, it includes three skills:
- Emotional awareness
- The ability to harness emotions and apply them to tasks like thinking and problem-solving
- The ability to manage emotions.
Benoit also broke down the history of EI, citing Dan Goleman, the first to write a book on emotional intelligence, whom he called the “godfather of EI.”
According to Goleman, to have emotional intelligence, you must:
- have an inward awareness of your thoughts and feelings, and apply that in managing your upsets and focus on your goals
- focus on others, to empathize and understand them, and, on the basis of this, to have effective interactions and relationships.
Benoit pointed out that excessive attention to cell phones can inhibit focus, telling audience members to put their phones down to focus on others. By concentrating on a phone, you could be inadvertently telling others that you don’t care about them or their situation.
She further explained that self-awareness and management are not about being perfect; they’re about seeing yourself more clearly. She said that we can become more aware of others when we can identify emotions with specificity.
The group illustrated neural plasticity through a one-on-one exercise in which participants recounted emotional interactions, how they were initiated, and alternative solutions.
Benoit pointed out that emotions drive business, underscoring that during a conflict, both parties’ feelings are valid. Further, she explained that feelings drive sales, and make decisions possible.
She added that feelings make individuals more memorable and encouraged the audience to “be sticky” to become more memorable themselves.
Finally, she pointed out methods to be a pro at navigating change:
- listen first
- be accountable
- foster emotional awareness.
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