Coaching for Emotional Intelligence: A Practical Leadership Tool for Healthcare

Healthcare leaders face unique challenges: constant change, high emotional demands, and the responsibility of leading teams in stressful environments. Technical expertise is not enough – leaders must also demonstrate emotional intelligence (EI) to navigate conflict, build trust, and inspire others. Needed are leaders who can regulate their emotions, particularly during stressful situations and provide consistency, stability, and empathy to their staff. 

But how do organizations strengthen EI in their leaders? One powerful, evidence-based tool is coaching.

Putting Coaching to the Test

While coaching has become a common investment in leadership development, there has been little empirical evidence of its impact, especially in healthcare. To explore this gap, a study was conducted with thirty healthcare managers across a large northeast health system. 

Participants completed the EQ-i2.0 emotional intelligence assessment from MHS (Multi-Health Systems, Inc.) before and after a five-session coaching program. Their results were compared with a control group that did not receive coaching.

The Results

• Measurable EI Growth: Managers who completed coaching showed significant improvement in their overall EI scores. The control group showed no meaningful change.
• Greater Confidence and Self-Awareness: Participants reported stronger self-awareness, a sense of control, and improved ability to lead teams and manage stress.
• Practical Leadership Impact: Managers described applying new behaviors on the job, from improved communication to more effective conflict resolution.

In addition to the quantitative data results, feedback on the coaching was collected through an anonymous survey:

• The coaching helped me navigate the challenges created by my lack of optimism and helped me to identify ways to improve my emotional intelligence skills. This had a positive impact on me personally as well as on my work environment. 
• I feel this was life-changing for me. As a manager. I have built my confidence and therefore I have been contributing more during meetings. I’m speaking up and letting my voice be heard, which then builds my confidence more. I am becoming more assertive, which makes me feel better about how I’m fulfilling my role as manager.
• Advocating more for myself, continuing to push myself out of my comfort zone in new situations, and learning to be okay with not being perfect.
• One of my biggest achievements was building trust with my new team. 
• I was able to identify areas where I can improve and develop strategies.
• After my coaching sessions, I began to look for emotional triggers and reactions from my colleagues, and most importantly within myself. Witnessing emotional cues from colleagues helped me to communicate better. 
• I was becoming distracted by the ins and outs of life. The coaching helped me to reprioritize my goals and stay on track.
• The coaching sessions gave me a greater sense of ownership over my goals. I improved my communication, time management, resources, and insight on my approach.

The results demonstrated that a short, structured coaching program can produce measurable and meaningful improvements in leadership effectiveness. 

Why Emotional Intelligence (EI) Matters in Healthcare

The demands of healthcare leadership are emotionally intense. Leaders must support staff through burnout, engage teams during organizational change, and maintain empathy under pressure. Research consistently shows that leaders with higher EI are better equipped to handle these challenges and foster engaged, resilient teams.

As Daniel Goleman, psychologist and author of the bestseller, “Emotional Intelligence” (1995) and other researchers have noted, the more emotionally demanding the work, the more empathetic and supportive the leader must be. Coaching provides a practical way to develop these critical skills. 

A Simple Coaching Model That Works

The coaching program in this study consisted of five sessions over approximately four months. The structure followed a strengths-based approach: 

1. Reflection: Each session began by asking, “What has gone well since our last session?”
2. Action Review: Participants reflected on progress made on goals and the outcomes achieved.
3. Strengths Leveraged: Leaders identified which personal strengths they used successfully. They noted areas of improvement and reframed challenges as learning opportunities.
4. Goal Setting: Sessions ended with next step actions aligned to personal and leadership goals. 

The balance of structure and flexibility created space for self-discovery while ensuring progress toward measurable outcomes. 

Why Organizations Should Take Note

For healthcare organizations, the implications are clear:

• High ROI for a Modest Investment: Even a brief coaching program can deliver measurable improvements in leadership capacity.
• Support for Managers Under Pressure: Coaching helps leaders build resilience and confidence to navigate stress and uncertainty.
• Culture of Growth: Investing in coaching signals an organizational commitment to leadership development and employee engagement.

In an era of tight budgets and rising demands, coaching offers a cost-effective, research-backed tool to strengthen leadership capacity.

Further Applicability

To build on the success of this study, the organization transferred the structure of the individual coaching sessions to a group format in their New Nurse Manager Program. With five-to-six nurses assigned a coach, the group met for four coaching sessions and one individual session, after completing the EQ-i2.0 assessment. While not conducted as a pre-post study design, evaluation comments reinforced the value of the coaching, with the added benefit of sharing and learning with peers who are experiencing the same challenges.

Looking Ahead

This study is encouraging, as the findings align with broader research on the positive impact of coaching, suggesting organizations can implement coaching as a resource to help managers thrive – not just survive – in the complex world of healthcare. Future research should explore long-term effects, larger samples, 360-degree feedback from colleagues and staff, and a group coaching format. 

Final Thought

Coaching is more than a professional perk. It is a strategic investment in the people who lead our healthcare systems. As one participant shared, the coaching experience created “a greater sense of ownership over my goals and stronger relationships with my team.” By strengthening emotional intelligence, organizations can equip their leaders to face challenges with resilience, empathy, and confidence – and in doing so, create healthier workplaces for staff and patients alike.