Building on Goleman's earlier work on emotional intelligence, this book applies it specifically to leadership, arguing that a leader's mood and style are literally contagious through an organisation ('emotional leakage'). It maps six leadership styles and when each genuinely fits, rather than pushing one 'correct' style.
Key lessons
- A leader's emotional state spreads through the team faster and more powerfully than most leaders realise.
- Six distinct leadership styles (visionary, coaching, affiliative, democratic, pacesetting, commanding) each suit different situations — no single style is always right.
- Pacesetting and commanding styles, overused, quietly damage team climate even though they can be necessary short-term.
- Emotional self-awareness is a genuinely learnable, trainable leadership skill, not a fixed personality trait.
Leadership style isn't just personal preference — it measurably shapes team climate and performance, and the best leaders deliberately flex between styles rather than defaulting to one.
What’s aged well
The emotional intelligence research underpinning it remains well regarded, though later work has refined some of the original claims.
What feels outdated
Denser and more academic than most current leadership books; some examples feel dated.
The Business Stuff verdict
Worth reading for the six-styles framework specifically, even if the rest is heavier going than more modern alternatives.
Three things to actually do after reading it
- Identify which of the six leadership styles you default to, and which situation currently calls for a different one.
- Notice your own mood before your next team meeting — it will likely set the tone more than anything you say.
- Practise the coaching style deliberately with one team member this month instead of directing them.
If you liked this, read next
Five similar books
- Emotional Intelligence (Daniel Goleman)
- The Culture Code (Daniel Coyle)
- Leaders Eat Last (Simon Sinek)
- Multipliers (Liz Wiseman)
- Dare to Lead (Brené Brown)
