This article suggests that the notion of Emotional Intelligence (EI) has a worldwide applicability in the preparation for executive leadership and in enhancing business performance. EI legitimizes a fuller consideration of the emotional interplays which characterize all work-based activity and facilitates discussion about significant facets of workplace behavior, which may otherwise be denied, discounted, ignored or trivialized. It is suggested that EI offers perspectives which—if utilized—could reduce the frequency of executive derailment and enhance organizational working relationships.

The ability to deal with complex and ambiguous business situations whilst maintaining composure under pressure is important for those in positions of influence and authority. Such skills and aptitudes become increasingly significant as the seniority of the executive increases, as the consequences of inappropriate behavior, emotional outbursts and failure are severe and the implications far-reaching.

Conventionally, business success tends to be predicted on the basis of the acquisition and application of technical knowledge and expertise, the competent use of business tools and a fine-tuned ability to find and solve problems. Whilst some attention is given to the management of people—i.e., `developing people skills'—it is rare for an in-depth and sustained appreciation of emotional workplace dynamics to be addressed in the preparation of senior executives. This `gap' is surprising as often success or failure seems to revolve around (i) the emotional interplay in business situations and (ii) the emotional self-control (or not!) of the key players involved. Of course, the `hard' technical-functional skills form the bedrock of business activities but being able to employ and utilize them fully seems to rest on working with, and ethically managing, the emotional tensions and undercurrents of working life. And this is where the successful executive's emotional antenna comes into play and where those with insufficient understandings about how people work together can start to falter and fail.

HRM Review Magazine, Executive Derailment, Emotional Intelligence, Organizational Working Relationships, Emotional Outbursts, Organizational Culture, Mission Statements, Business Decision Making, Psychometric Instruments, Strategic Transitions, Business Objectives, Management Research.