How can emotional intelligence (EI) and neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) help leaders with the ability to deal with the impact of COVID-19?

COVID-19 has borne witness to unprecedented change in business, the likes of which has not been seen since the beginning of the internet revolution. This situation has placed leaders in a unique and challenging scenario, which sees them repositioning their companies and workforce in ways that were impossible to foresee, resulting in unprecedented changes to normal workplace responsibilities. This paper posits that the practical implications of using emotional intelligence (EI) and neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) can help leaders act in ways that are more empathetic and intentional in managing the emotional impacts caused by workplace stress, distress, isolation and other factors caused by the pandemic, both professionally and personally. In using the tools offered by EI and NLP, leaders can better understand ‘self’ and ‘other’, in the context, not only of the current pandemic crisis but in other more general contexts associated with workplace changes, and the stress associated with those changes.