For me, emotional intelligence is essential for the effective performance of leaders who aim to shape organizational culture. EI appears to be the only trait that has been presented in each of the group presentations in this unit. From ethical leadership to global leadership, from leading teams to development and succession, from transformational leadership to sustainable leadership, a strong level of emotional intelligence is required. This is reflected in research showing that EI “accounts for more than 85% of star performance in top leaders” (Hay Group, 2012) and is supported by Goleman (2014) who states that “Although some degree of While analytical and technical ability is a minimum requirement for success, studies indicate that emotional intelligence may be the key attribute that distinguishes excellent performers from merely adequate performers.” Having witnessed high levels of emotional intelligence in leaders of both professional and social groups, the benefits and importance of emotional intelligence are both clear and obvious.