By Alejandro Olivera Ramírez*
Holding the leadership without breaking has become one of the biggest challenges of those who are in front. Because leading is not just deciding: it is resisting, holding and, many times, containing. But who takes care of the one who leads?
At the managerial level, it is no longer about executing a strategy well. It is about staying emotionally whole to be able to think clearly, sustain equipment under constant tension and make decisions without sacrificing mental or perspective health. In that context, emotional intelligence ceased to be a “plus” to become a critical factor of professional sustainability.
The emotional stability of the leader defines the stability of the system that leads. And what is often forgotten is that this stability is not supported alone. It is not a character trait or an innate talent. It is a competition that trains, strengthens and cares. That is, precisely, the basis of the self-readership: the ability to lead oneself first before pretending to do so with others.
In high -demand corporate environments, it is increasingly evident that leaders who cultivate their emotional intelligence not only achieve better results: they also show greater resilience, more recovery capacity to stress, and a lucidity that protects their decision making. They are the ones who recognize what they feel, give it name, and act with conscience. Not from reactivity, but from clarity. That type of leadership is the one that leaves a mark.
That is why it surprises that even in many organizations emotional intelligence is a “soft”, almost decorative ability. Pandemia and digital acceleration left us a clear lesson: emotional wear and tear is no exception, it is part of managerial day to day. And in professional accompaniment sessions, it is not uncommon to hear phrases such as: “I don’t know how much more I can sustain this.” Many leaders do not ask for help to grow. They ask for it not to fall.
In executive coaching processes, what works are not the prefabricated responses, but the spaces to be honestly. To question if the way they are working today will allow them to remain sustainable tomorrow. That’s where the true personal leadership work appears: recognize patterns, regulate emotions and leave the autopilot that is normalized in senior direction.
And this is not fragility. It is strategy. A leader who does not work in himself runs the risk of making decisions under biases, operating from fatigue or losing connection with the important. We have seen it again and again: derailment cases do not usually be due to the absence of technical knowledge, but to a prolonged emotional disconnection. Exhaustion, when ignored, ends up blurring even the brightest profiles.
The well -being of the leader, therefore, cannot be a peripheral issue. Organizations that understand this are leaving behind the narrative of the sacrifice and begin to value self -care as a strategic responsibility. It is not about offering active pauses or yoga in the office. It is about redesign cultures, open real spaces for conversation and accompany with intention to those who make complex decisions every day.
And it is not just well -being: the data supports that investing in leadership generates real impact. Teams with developed leaders show up to 23% more productivity and better financial results, in addition to more solid and sustainable cultures over time.
Emotional intelligence, then, is not just a path to better connect with the equipment. It is a professional armor. A way of building leadership that does not depend exclusively on the energy of the moment, but on the internal clarity that allows to sustain the vision even when everything moves around.
The future of leadership is not harder. It is more aware. More human, yes, but also more strategic. And that begins with a simple question: am I leading myself well? Because who does not lead, wears out. And who wears out, ends up giving ground where presence is needed.
Holding is also a way of leading. And today, more than ever, it is the one we need most.
About the author:
*Alejandro Olivera Ramírez is an associate dean of the Tecnológico de Monterrey Business School
Twitter: @aoliverax
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexolivera/
The opinions expressed are only the responsibility of their authors and are completely independent of the position and the editorial line of Forbes Mexico.
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