Emotional Intelligence Training for Managers That Sticks

If your people priorities are front and centre this year, Emotional Intelligence is a smart first move. It underpins better conversations, faster recovery from setbacks, clearer decisions and improved employee engagement.

The challenge is choosing a training course that actually changes behaviour back in your workplace. This practical buyer’s guide explains what an Emotional Intelligence course covers, why it matters for managers, how to select a credible provider and how to get traction in the first 30 days following your learning experience.

What is an Emotional Intelligence course?

When facilitated by a recognised expert, an Emotional Intelligence course helps managers understand, regulate and use emotions to improve day to day communication and overall performance. In practice, that means self‑awareness, self‑management, social awareness and relationship management. The best courses make this practical and enjoyable to explore. You will learn simple models for tough conversations, tools for decision quality when pressure rises and strategies to recover quickly when things go off track.

At Summit, our Emotional Intelligence Training For Managers brings a 4‑Step EQ model to life in real scenarios. You practise the EI Decision‑Making Matrix to slow unhelpful reactions and speed useful responses. You build language patterns that de‑escalate friction, invite accountability and set standards without drama. The focus is application in live management challenges, not theory for theory’s sake.

If you are buying for a whole team or department, our in‑house Emotional Intelligence course is tailored to your context and delivered at your site or virtually. Every event includes post‑training reinforcement resources so learning sticks when the day job gets busy.

Can Emotional Intelligence be taught?

Absolutely. While we all start with different preferences and habits, EI is a set of learnable skills. With focused practice and feedback, managers build new defaults. For example, noticing a first emotional signal, naming it accurately and choosing a response that serves the goal. Or pausing a meeting for 60 seconds to clarify intent, then restarting with a clean slate. Repetition forms new patterns. Measurement and coaching accelerate the shift.

Summit’s approach is evidence informed and practice heavy. You learn, you test, you apply, then you get reinforcement materials and follow up support. This sequence is what helps behaviour change stick and motivation continue long-term.

Five pillars of Emotional Intelligence

There are five widely recognised pillars that map neatly to management demands:

Self‑awareness, you notice your emotional state and its effect on judgment and tone.
Self‑regulation, you manage impulses, stress and attention so you respond rather than react.
Motivation, you stay driven by purposeful goals and use setbacks as data.
Empathy, you understand others’ perspectives, needs and constraints.
Social skills, you communicate clearly, resolve conflict and build trust.

These pillars are not abstract. They link to measurable outcomes. Managers with balanced EI hold shorter, higher quality one to ones, reduce rework from miscommunication and recover faster after setbacks, which protects momentum.

Signs of low EQ to look out for

When you are choosing participants or sizing the need, watch for common signals:

Abrupt or defensive responses that shut down dialogue.
Over‑talking in meetings, little inquiry or summarising.
Avoidance of difficult conversations until issues escalate.
All or nothing decision language, few options explored.
Blame shifting, limited ownership of impact.
Mood contagion, one person’s stress sets the tone for the team.

These are trainable. With simple tools and practice, managers replace them with confident, clear and consistent behaviour.

Five practical ways to improve Emotional Intelligence

You can start now:

Name your state. Use a simple label, “I feel pressured, not prepared.” Naming reduces intensity and improves choice.
Run the 90‑second rule. Let the first emotional wave pass before you reply in writing or speak in a heated moment.
Ask one more question. Switch from statement to curiosity, “What would good look like by Friday?” or “What is the constraint?”
Summarise impact, not intent. “My message landed as a demand. I meant urgency. Let’s reset.”
Close with clarity. End meetings with ownership, deadlines and the first step. Clarity is kind.

These tactics are small, but they add up. They form the backbone of confident conversations and cleaner decisions.

What a credible provider should offer

If you want results rather than a tick box:

Evidence‑informed content. Ask about the research base and how models translate to your context. Practical tools should be easy to use under pressure.
Practitioner credentials. Who is in the room with your managers? Look for acknowledged subject experts with deep EI experience and a track record in management training.
Deliberate practice. Role plays, feedback loops and real scenarios beat slide decks every time.
Measurable outcomes. Agree success indicators upfront, for example, quality of one to ones, reduction in rework, decision cycle time.
Follow‑up coaching and resources. Behaviour change needs reinforcement. Look for online resources, guided refreshers and scheduled coaching touchpoints.

Summit delivers all of the above, including a full slide deck with notes, Certificates of Completion and self‑paced online reinforcement resources valued at £197 per person. Selected programmes include scheduled group coaching follow ups to embed learning where it counts.

If you want to explore options, our in‑house emotional intelligence training and our dedicated emotional intelligence training for managers page outline typical outcomes and delivery formats.

Inside Summit’s EI toolkit

4‑Step EQ model. A simple, repeatable process to recognise state, reset attention, choose language and act with intent.
EI Decision‑Making Matrix. A visual prompt that balances facts, feelings, risk and relationships so decisions are robust and timely.
6 Motivation Patterns. Practical ways to tailor your message so it lands with different team members.
Language patterns for influence. Sentence stems that reduce defensiveness and increase ownership.

Managers leave with tools they can use the same day, and resources to keep skills sharp long after the workshop.

A simple 30‑day implementation plan

You do not need a big programme to get moving. Here is a quick start plan you can run alongside day job pressures.

Days 1 to 5, baseline and focus. Pick two behaviours to improve, for example, reduce defensive replies and increase clarity of next steps. Capture one baseline metric, such as rework from miscommunication or average time to decision on routine issues.
Days 6 to 10, learn the basics. Share a 20 minute EI primer and the 4‑Step EQ model with your managers. Agree two language patterns to practise in every meeting this week.
Days 11 to 15, practise in real work. Use the EI Decision‑Making Matrix on one live decision. Hold one tough conversation using the 90 second rule and a curiosity first opener.
Days 16 to 20, peer learning. Run a 30 minute lunch session. Each manager shares one win and one stuck point. Swap tactics and set a micro goal for the week.
Days 21 to 25, customer focus. Apply EI tools to a customer or stakeholder meeting. Summarise agreements in writing, including first steps and deadlines.
Days 26 to 30, review and lock in. Recheck your baseline. What moved? Keep what worked, drop what did not and book a short follow up workshop or coaching slot to consolidate.

This plan builds momentum fast, then your formal training deepens the skill.

How Emotional Intelligence links to performance

Better conversations. Clearer expectations and calmer tone reduce friction and rework.
Faster recovery from setbacks. Managers process the dip and reset quickly, which protects delivery.
Clearer decisions. The EI Decision‑Making Matrix reduces bias and panic, so choices are timely and defensible.
Higher trust. Managers own their impact, invite feedback and hold standards consistently.

These are the outcomes budget holders care about. They are also the outcomes managers value when the pressure is on.

Ready to act?

If you want a practical, evidence‑informed partner, Summit’s emotional intelligence training and our emotional intelligence course are designed for UK organisations that want visible return on investment, not theory. Every course is delivered in‑house across the UK or virtually by acknowledged subject experts. You receive post‑training reinforcement resources and optional follow‑up coaching so skills transfer actually happens.

You are welcome to get in touch to discuss your priorities and receive a tailored proposal.

Summary

Emotional Intelligence is not a nice to have. It is a practical capability that improves conversations, decisions and resilience.

A strong course makes EI simple to learn and easy to apply, then backs it with reinforcement so habits stick. Choose a provider with evidence‑informed content, expert facilitators and follow up support. Start a 30 day plan now to build momentum, then deepen capability with a focused in‑house programme. The result is a more confident management team and a measurable lift in day to day performance.