The Art of Better Decision-Making

Daniel Goleman is author of the international best-seller Emotional Intelligence and Optimal: How to Sustain Personal and Organizational Excellence Every Day. He is a regular contributor to Korn Ferry. 

Leaders today face a familiar tension with a new urgency: Move fast and make decisions, but don’t lose sight of people or purpose. In a landscape defined by shifting markets, artificial intelligence, workforce cuts, and constant disruption, the pressure to act is real. But speed alone won’t cut it—especially when decisions impact culture, complex systems, and diverse teams.

The best decisions a leader can make aren’t just timely—they’re inclusive—and grounded in emotional intelligence (EI). The higher a leader's EI, the more capacity they have to move fast and wisely.

This capacity starts with self-awareness: In times of urgency, leaders often fall back on familiar mental models, unaware of the filters shaping their thinking. The ability to pause, even briefly, and ask "What’s driving my reaction?" is a core skill of the emotionally intelligent leader. The self-aware leader is less likely to default to autopilot and more likely to identify when their own biases are getting in the way of seeing the bigger picture. To develop this self-awareness, leaders need to seek consistent and well-rounded feedback, soliciting honest reflections from those who surround them.

This inner clarity opens the door to empathy. Empathy in the decision-making process isn’t about hearing everyone out and coming to consensus, but about perspective-taking as you seek a way forward. Empathetic leaders consider how decisions affect others across levels, functions, and lived experiences. They operate with a baseline of curiosity and care.

That lens is deepened by organizational awareness—the capacity to understand the formal structures and informal networks within a system—so leaders can anticipate ripple effects. They know who holds influence, where resistance might emerge, and how power and purpose are distributed. These insights help shape stronger, more strategic choices.

From there, the emotionally intelligent leader leverages all of that awareness to hone their capacity for inspirational leadership. This is what turns a decision into a movement. This is a leader’s ability to clearly articulate “why” a decision was made, acknowledge the trade-offs that were considered; and rally people around shared purpose—even when those people don’t necessarily agree fully with the decision. This leader isn’t focused on perfection, but rather on alignment and engagement. They have their messaging down and they mean what they say in such a way that people can feel it and get behind it.

From there, adaptability becomes critical: the ability for a leader to move with change and demonstrate resilience. Adaptable leaders treat decisions as living things—open to revision, growth, and even death. They know that in today’s environment, few decisions are final. Conditions change and new data emerges. Being defensive blocks a leader’s ability to surf the tides and move forward. 

And finally, have a positive outlook. In uncertain times—times when decisions are a must and conditions are always changing—teams look to their leaders for cues. Staying focused on possibility (not fantasy) and maintaining a clear-eyed optimism (no rose-colored glasses) allows others to stay grounded and engaged. Leaders who carry that kind of energy help systems stabilize and inspire forward momentum, even when the terrain is uncertain.

There’s a business case behind all of this. Korn Ferry research shows that emotionally intelligent managers consistently outperform peers in profitability, engagement, and retention. Diverse teams—when led with EI—make better decisions up to 87% of the time. They generate more ideas, challenge assumptions, and produce more innovative outcomes. That’s not just inclusive leadership—it’s effective leadership.

The trap is believing it’s either/or: speed or intention, decisiveness or inclusivity. But the best leaders know otherwise. With emotional intelligence, it’s possible to act quickly without losing depth, to invite input without losing momentum, and to lead with pace, precision, humility, and humanity. 

Co-written by Elizabeth Solomon

Click here to learn more about Daniel Goleman's Building Blocks of Emotional Intelligence.