This week, I began a new four-month detail assignment in a new office. While details often bring exciting opportunities for growth and collaboration, they also come with unique challenges. As a temporary leader stepping into an established team, I have been thinking a great deal about the role of emotional intelligence (EQ) in building trust, understanding team dynamics, and supporting employees during periods of transition.
For any leader entering a new environment, the first instinct can be to assess processes, identify improvements, and begin implementing changes. However, experience has taught me that before leading systems, you must first understand people.
Listening Before Leading
One of the most important emotional intelligence skills is self-awareness. As I begin this assignment, I am reminding myself that I do not have all the answers. The employees I am working with possess valuable institutional knowledge, professional expertise, and perspectives that I have not yet had the opportunity to fully understand.
Rather than arriving with assumptions, I am focusing on listening. During my first few days, I have spent time meeting team members, learning about their responsibilities, understanding ongoing projects, and asking questions about both challenges and successes. These conversations help establish rapport while providing insights that no organizational chart can capture.
Building Trust Quickly
Trust is essential for any team, but it can be especially important when a leader is serving in a temporary role. Employees may wonder whether a new supervisor will understand their work, support their development, or make significant changes before departing.
Emotional intelligence reminds us that trust is built through consistency, transparency, and empathy. I have found that simple actions such as being present, following through on commitments, actively listening, and communicating clearly often matter more than grand initiatives during the early stages of a leadership transition.
My goal is not to immediately reshape the team. My goal is to understand the team and help remove obstacles that may be preventing them from doing their best work.
Managing Through Empathy
Every employee brings unique strengths, experiences, and motivations to the workplace. Emotional intelligence requires leaders to recognize that performance is often influenced by factors that are not immediately visible.
As I get to know employees over the coming months, I plan to approach conversations with curiosity rather than judgment. Understanding individual communication styles, professional goals, and workplace challenges allows leaders to provide support that is both effective and respectful.
Empathy does not mean lowering expectations. Rather, it means recognizing that different employees may need different types of support to achieve the same high standards.
Navigating Change and Uncertainty
Any leadership transition, even a temporary one, introduces a degree of uncertainty. Employees may have questions about priorities, expectations, and future direction.
One of the most valuable EQ skills during times of uncertainty is clear communication. People generally respond better to change when they understand what is happening, why it is happening, and how it may affect them.
Throughout this detail, I hope to foster an environment where employees feel informed, respected, and comfortable sharing concerns or ideas.
A Learning Opportunity for Everyone
While I have been assigned to support this team, I also recognize that this detail is a tremendous learning opportunity for me. Every organization, office, and team has its own culture and lessons to offer.
Emotional intelligence is often described as the ability to recognize and manage emotions in ourselves and others. In practice, I have found it to be much simpler: listen carefully, treat people with respect, remain curious, communicate honestly, and lead with empathy.
As I begin this four-month journey, I am excited to learn from my new colleagues, contribute where I can, and continue developing as a leader. If there is one lesson I have learned throughout my career, it is that successful leadership is rarely about having all the answers. It is about creating an environment where people feel valued, supported, and empowered to do their best work.
For the next four months, that will be my focus.
— Dr. A.M. Benjamin
⭐ Check out my guide to EQ in the workplace
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