In episode 391, host Mike Petrusky speaks with Joshua Freedman, CEO and cofounder of Six Seconds, the global emotional intelligence (EQ) network where he is passionate about helping organizations achieve higher engagement, better leadership, and scalable culture change. Mike asks Joshua about his new book, “Emotion Rules: The Science and Practice of Emotional Wisdom”, in which he equips leaders with scientific and practical tools for harnessing emotional intelligence to create a positive “felt environment” at work. Emotional intelligence is not only individually measurable but can also be assessed and developed at the organizational level to improve workplace culture and team effectiveness, so Joshua says emotional data is just as important as cognitive data in decision-making and leadership. Mike and Joshua discuss the increasing complexity and rapid change in the workplace today and explore how authenticity, empathy, and the willingness to acknowledge emotions in the workplace can help leaders to build trust and facilitate successful change management strategies.
Agenda
- Understanding how emotional intelligence (EQ) shapes modern workplace leadership and organizational performance
- Exploring how measuring EQ at individual and organizational levels improves culture, engagement, and productivity
- Examining the role of emotions as data in decision‑making, trust‑building, and employee experience
- Discussing leadership challenges such as change management, authenticity, and creating a strong “felt environment”
- Highlighting the importance of lifelong learning, curiosity, and continuous improvement in the future of work
What you need to know: Workplace takeaways
Takeaway 1: Emotional intelligence is a measurable and essential leadership capability
“Emotional intelligence is measurable at an individual level, it’s also measurable at scale… we’re trying to put this data on the dashboard and figure out how that leadership capability is shaping the felt environment, and not just the built environment,” Joshua states.
EQ is a critical leadership skill that directly influences employee engagement, workplace culture, and organizational performance. Because emotional intelligence is measurable, companies can use EQ data to understand how leadership behaviors shape the employee experience, psychological safety, and team performance.
Emotions function as real‑time data that shape attention, decision‑making, and interpersonal dynamics. Leaders who ignore emotional signals miss essential insights that affect productivity, trust, and collaboration.
High‑EQ leadership is becoming a competitive advantage in the modern workplace, especially as organizations navigate hybrid work, rapid change, and rising employee expectations.
Takeaway 2: Authenticity and emotional acknowledgment build trust and connection
“The worst advice that I ever got was, oh, just leave emotions out of it and make better decisions. And I have come to see that is not how people actually work,” states Joshua.
Modern workplaces thrive when leaders create cultures of authenticity, psychological safety, and emotional awareness. Suppressing emotions doesn’t eliminate them—they continue to influence behavior, communication, and performance.
Friedman’s principle “accept to connect” highlights that acknowledging emotions is often enough to build trust and open communication. This is essential for employee engagement, team cohesion, and workplace well‑being.
Joshua says, “What I’ve learned is that box was already open. Those emotions are in the room. You can pretend they’re not, but that doesn’t actually solve anything.”
Authentic leadership — recognizing emotions in yourself and others — creates stronger relationships and healthier workplace cultures.
Takeaway 3: Lifelong learning fuels innovation and leadership growth
“I do often talk about the need to be a lifelong learner… I’m constantly learning new things,” Mike states.
Continuous learning is essential for navigating workplace transformation, emerging technologies, and evolving employee needs. Leaders who embrace curiosity and growth are better equipped to innovate, adapt, and lead through complexity.
Personal stories about music, creativity, and learning reinforce the value of staying open to new experiences. In a world shaped by AI, automation, and rapid change, emotional intelligence and lifelong learning are becoming core leadership competencies.
For workplace innovators, this means experimenting with new approaches, developing emotional wisdom, and embracing discomfort as part of professional growth.
Workplace management insights
- Emotional intelligence is a strategic leadership tool that can be measured, developed, and scaled across organizations.
- The felt environment, the emotional climate of a workplace, is as influential as the physical environment in shaping engagement and performance.
- Leaders who acknowledge emotions build stronger trust, communication, and psychological safety.
- Emotions act as data that guide decision‑making, attention, and interpersonal dynamics.
- Lifelong learning and openness to feedback are essential for adapting to future workplace trends.
- Simple practices like naming emotions or acknowledging tension can strengthen team cohesion and improve employee experience.
Explore the full library of Workplace Innovator podcast episodes for an in‑depth look at workplace insights.
Watch the full video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Agiq2N9oEb8&list=PLSkmmkVFvM4H3pwnlU2AuqynuRDpvnh4J&index=1
