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24 Jan 2025
3 mins
Cultivating Emotional Intelligence and Inclusive Leaders 

In the maritime industry where teamwork, adaptability and resilience are critical, the ability to navigate emotions effectively is indispensable. Emotional Intelligence (EI) and inclusive leadership go hand in hand, enabling individuals to perceive, understand, and manage emotions—both their own and those of others—while fostering a culture of collaboration, respect, and shared success among diverse crews.  

Recognising the growing importance of these skills, Young SMOU (YSMOU) took the initiative to empower a group of young seafarers through a Youth Development workshop on Know Your Emotional Intelligence & The Keys to Inclusive Leadership on 18 December 2024. 

The workshop, held in collaboration with NTUC Learning Hub and led by trainer Ms Jennifer Yeo, focused on EI and Inclusive Leadership, equipping the youth with skills to navigate complex interpersonal dynamics and build inclusive teams. 

Model of Emotional Intelligence Workplace Behaviour

EI encompasses skills to perceive, understand, and manage emotions in ourselves and others, helping us become more aware of feelings and their impact on decisions and actions, reducing negativity and enhancing positivity. 

The competencies (in the middle), help us consistently demonstrate the productive being states (on the right side of the model), as opposed to the unproductive being states (on the left side of the model) that we can all be at times. 

EI and inclusive leadership are interconnected. EI helps leaders manage emotions, understand others and foster empathy, which is the key to embracing diversity and creating a sense of belonging.  

Inclusive Leadership

Through powerful stories like the contrasting experiences of the VASA Ship and the USS Benfold, it demonstrated how leadership styles directly impact team resilience, performance, and unity. An inclusive leader is one who embraces diversity, fosters respect, and creates a sense of belonging for every team member. 

The eight core values of highly inclusive leaders, which are essential for cultivating an inclusive culture: 

  1. We over Me 
  2. Learning over Knowing 
  3. Collaboration over Individuality 
  4. Connecting over Being Right 
  5. Questions over Statements 
  6. Empathy over Sympathy 
  7. Acceptance over Judgment 
  8. Perspective of Others over Stating Your Truth 

 

In conclusion, emotional intelligence and inclusive leadership are vital for fostering a collaborative, empathetic and inclusive workplace. Organisations that integrate emotional intelligence in leadership and promote inclusive leadership can establish a culture of respect, empathy, and inclusion, resulting in a more engaged, innovative, and productive workforce. 

Special thanks to NTUC Learning Hub and Trainer Jennifer Yeo for their expertise and contributions to this article on Emotional Intelligence and Inclusive Leadership. 

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