Is Emotional Intelligence Underrated in Business and Sport?

The Elite Skill You Can’t Afford to Ignore

If there’s one thing diving taught me—except from contorting myself flying through the air while trying not to belly flop—it’s that performance isn’t just physical. In fact, at the highest level, the physical differences are marginal. What separates the great from the good is mindset. And a big part of the mindset of all high-performing individuals is Emotional intelligence.

Now, apply that to business, leadership, or high-stakes environments and it isn’t much different. Emotional intelligence isn’t about being soft, it’s about being smart. It’s the difference between pushing someone to their limit and pushing them away. Between leading with clarity and leading with chaos.

Let’s break down the three big pieces I’ve personally lived, learned, and continue to utilise—whether with divers or with businesspeople.

1. Know Thyself – The Art of Self-Awareness & Self-Regulation

Before you can lead anyone else, you’ve got to know what’s going on inside your own head. I learned this the hard way during my training days—when I’d start training in a bit of a mood from something completely unrelated to diving, and then wonder why my session felt like a write-off.

Being self-aware means recognising when your emotional state is going to affect performance—and then doing something about it. Self-regulation is that second part: knowing how to shift your internal state without waiting for someone else to do it for you.

High performers don’t just feel—they notice, adjust, and choose how to respond.

🔑 Key takeaways:

• Before every training session, I checked in with myself. Am I tired? Frustrated? Distracted? That awareness let me manage expectations or adapt my plan.

• If my mood was off, I’d tell my coach. Open communication saved wasted sessions.

• Knowing your triggers means you can prepare for them, rather than be derailed by them.

2. Understand Others – Empathy & Social Skills Are Your Leadership Superpowers

Coaching other performance athletes opened a whole new layer of emotional intelligence for me. I went from managing myself to reading into the moods, fears, and doubts of every athlete in the room.

One athlete might need reassurance. Another, a gentle nudge in the right direction (sometimes gentle isn’t enough). To get the most out of people, you’ve got to care enough to see them properly. That’s empathy. But more importantly, you’ve got to respond in a way that keeps the relationship strong. That’s social skill.

In business, just like in sport, people don’t perform well for leaders who don’t “get” them. Emotional intelligence builds trust, and trust builds high-performing teams.

🔑 Key takeaways:

• Athletes aren’t robots. Each one processes stress, feedback, and pressure differently.

• Emotional attunement is the fastest way to connect, motivate, and build trust.

• Relationships are performance multipliers—investing in them always pays off.

3. be Driven from Within – The Power of Intrinsic Motivation

The final (and often forgotten) part of emotional intelligence is internal motivation. Not hustle-for-the-sake-of-it motivation, but the deep, personal drive to improve, to master your craft, and to keep going when it gets tough—not because someone’s watching, but because it matters to you.

When I look back at my career—three Olympic cycles, plenty of setbacks—it wasn’t medals or recognition that kept me going. It was curiosity. It was proving something to myself. That mindset helped me bounce back faster, train smarter, and connect deeper with what I was doing.

In business, those who are intrinsically motivated lead with more clarity, inspire more respect, and don’t rely on external validation to feel fulfilled. Which makes them more stable, less reactive, and—frankly—more enjoyable to work with.

🔑 Key takeaways:

• My best sessions happened when I reminded myself why I wanted to be better—not just to win, but to learn.

• Internal drive fuels resilience. External validation fades fast.

• A motivated leader lifts everyone. A burnt-out one brings everyone down.

Conclusion: Master Emotions, maximise Impact

Emotional intelligence in business is your greatest edge. It helps you show up with intention, lead with empathy, and move with purpose. The more you understand your emotions—and those of the people around you—the more equipped you are to create lasting, meaningful success.

And ultimately, that’s where self-belief really starts: with awareness. With the confidence to check yourself, connect with others, and pursue your goals for reasons deeper than a title or a number.

• How are you practising emotional intelligence in your daily work or sport?

• What part do you find toughest—self-awareness, empathy, or motivation?
  👇🏾 Drop a comment below, share with a friend who leads like a legend, and let me know what topic you want me to tackle next.