What if we tell you that you can increase your organization’s productivity and exceed your revenue targets by approximately 20%? It turns out, these aims are achievable through emotional intelligence (EI). Actually, emotionally intelligent leadership can make all the difference as it has a direct impact on team performance.

And it starts early, building emotional intelligence in kids lays the foundation for the kind of leaders who thrive under pressure and connect with others.  For young leaders, developing EI is not just beneficial, it can account for up to 70% of a person’s overall success in life.

Moreover, according to statistics 71% of employers value EI more than technical skills when evaluating candidates. How is that?

The Five Pillars of Emotional Intelligence for Young Leaders

EI is the quality that enables us to confront with patience and insight according to psychologist Daniel Goleman. Goleman’s bestselling book challenged the traditional idea that being smart is not just about academic ability, there is a whole other set of skills like understanding emotions. He outlines 5 key components, let’s describe them shorty below:​

1. Self-Awareness: you need to recognize and understand your own emotions and how they affect your interactions

2. Self-Regulation: you need to learn how to manage and express your emotions

3. Motivation: so it is about being motivated by internal goals, rather than external recognition

4. Empathy: by relating to the emotions of others, you acquire social power

5. Social Skills: if you interact effectively with others, it should include active listening, verbal and non-verbal communication

How Emotional Intelligence Drives Leadership Success

For effective leadership, especially when we talk about young leaders, you need more than just navigating a complex world. For example, you can see your personal journey as from earlier career setbacks to becoming a successful business owner. You may think that you would need traditional traits like ambition and technical skills, but this is not enough.

What truly sets strong leaders apart is their ability to understand and connect with others emotionally. Honestly, young leaders with high EI can cope with various tasks, for example:​

• Team Management: if you recognize your team members’ emotions, you can build a collaborative and productive environment

• Conflict Resolution: EI enables you to navigate disputes effectively, promoting harmony within the team

• Public Speaking & Persuasion: if you recognize the audience’s emotional responses, you can provide more impactful communication

• Handling Criticism: Yes, self-regulation helps leaders remain receptive to feedback, turning criticism into growth and self-improvement​

Practical Steps to Build EI for Leadership Growth

As you know, proper content and books can be powerful tools for building self-awareness and emotional insight. For example, Books on Emotional Intelligence like “Beyond Order” or ”The Whole-Brain Child” by Daniel J.Siegel offer practical guidance for developing EI in both personal growth and leadership. Additionally, for enhancing your emotional intelligence, you can start:

• Journaling for Self-Reflection: first of all, you need to document your thoughts, idealism basically everything about your feelings to identify emotional triggers and see the pattern

• Active Listening & Empathy Exercises: by engaging in activities that require you to listen attentively, you can understand others’ perspectives and see another side of arguments

• Daily Mindfulness Practices: you can incorporate mindfulness techniques to stay present while managing stress effectively.

• Seeking Feedback & Mentorship: this is about getting feedback and guidance from mentors or coaches on the regular basis so you can get insights into your emotional strengths as well as areas for improvement​

• Handling Digital Communication: by being mindful with your tone and clarity in emails and daily communication at your virtual meetings, you can prevent misunderstandings

Case Studies: Young Leaders Who Succeeded with EQ

Emotions are a critical part of how we relate to the world around us. For example, Satya Nadella has achieved remarkable success as the CEO of Microsoft. Let’s describe how she did it:

Nadella’s (EQ) Strategy

He has transformed the company and its culture since his appointment in 2014. Under his leadership, Microsoft has seen significant growth and innovation thanks to Nadella’s emotional intelligence (EQ) strategy.

When he stepped into the role, he knew that success was not about relying solely on intellectual or technical skills. Instead, it was about something far more essential. Emotional intelligence in the IT niche, where technology often takes the spotlight, he emphasized that it is a cornerstone of success. It was his core leadership approach, helping to create an environment where people feel heard, valued and understood.

Silbermann: Value of Emotions

You know how challenging it can be to take an idea and turn it into something that stands out in a crowded space, especially when you’re up against the big players like Facebook. That’s exactly what Ben Silbermann, co-founder of Pinterest, did back in 2010. As a young CEO, he knew that success wasn’t just about having the right tech.

It was about connecting with people generally with his team and users alike. He used Emotional Intelligence (EQ). He made sure that everyone at Pinterest felt valued and motivated, building an authentic company culture rooted in listening and emotional awareness.

By staying in tune with both feedback and emotions, Pinterest grew from a niche platform to a global powerhouse. Under his leadership, Pinterest became a safe and inspiring space. But if you google, you will quickly find out that he did not stop there. Silbermann also led the creation of The How We Feel journal. This tool helps people understand and manage their emotions better.

Why EI Is a Career Game-Changer

As you can see, leaders and employers recognize the value of emotional intelligence, with a high percentage of people prioritizing it over technical skills during hiring. People evaluate soft skills in job interviews, and it is the basis. As professionals, soft skills like EI are becoming increasingly critical for all members, especially for project managers and team leaders. Soft skills like empathy and adaptability are becoming essential. By 2025, EI is a top skill needed in the workforce according to the World Economic Forum.

However, emotional intelligence is not just something that can be learned overnight, it is a life skill that must be developed from a young age. For example, when we want to Raise an Emotionally Intelligent Child, we give them all the tools they need to thrive, not just academically, but emotionally and socially as well. So high EI and proper educational sources with tools also enhance networking and mentorship opportunities. Now you just need to match with the team.

Final Thoughts

You can start your EI journey now by practicing mindfulness, welcoming honest feedback and immersing yourself in transformative literature and books on emotional intelligence. It’s not enough to simply improve your technical skills. Our society depends on how we master our emotional understanding.

By actively developing an understanding of your emotions, you will see the complexities of human interaction, building stronger leadership. It’s time to prioritize emotional intelligence, not as a brief lesson but as a lifelong cultural process!

It’s almost impossible nowadays to find kids playing hopscotch outdoors or having a traditional phone conversation with their schoolmates. Lately, it’s been all about video games or messenger chats. Screens entertain, but they rarely nurture the kind of focus, creativity, or emotional growth that something like learning a musical instrument can offer.

According to Harvard Health, too much gaming leads to circadian rhythm disorders – therefore, difficulty sleeping – anxiety, depression, insomnia, and the like. Not that you should ban your kids from playing video games, but there are more worthwhile activities to kick off their formative years, such as playing the piano.

A musical instrument invented in the 1700s, the piano offers several amazing health benefits, including what this activity can do for a child’s cognition. You’ve heard about history’s piano prodigies who started tinkering with the instrument during their childhood, from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart himself to Frédéric Chopin.

Those insights lead to the question: How early should a child learn the piano? Discover when the right time to introduce your child to this musical instrument is, and find out how Music To Your Home private piano lessons help improve their cognitive well-being.

How Early Should a Child Learn How to Play the Piano?

When is it too early, and when is it too late? Experts from Music To Your Home, a private piano school in New York City, say that they must start between the ages of six and nine. Some kids will learn the instrument a little bit later, maybe because they saw their schoolmate bringing a piano in class and playing it, but if you wish your child can nourish this talent and be able to play a song on the piano without forcing it, they should begin before they turn 10.

Similar to introducing them to LEGO or to traveling abroad at an early age, early piano learning builds strong neural connections, enhances coordination, and fosters discipline. This time, let us focus on the first effect: building strong cognition.

7 Impressive Benefits of Learning Piano for Your Kids’ Brain Function

Realizing your child isn’t performing well in academics? You might want to consider enrolling them in a music school. Piano playing benefits the brain in so many ways:

1. Strengthens Memory and Retention

Memory and retention are two skills that kids need in school and real life. Aside from remembering historical facts, they need some good retention skills when they’re already exploring the real world by themselves, such as when traveling.

The way piano playing can strengthen memory and retention is when musical notes on paper are translated into hand movements. Children who learn music at a young age can perform better on memory-related tasks.

2. Improves Coordination and Fine Motor Skills

The brain is the body’s command center. When playing the piano, it’s like a mental gymnastics’ routine since your visual and hearing senses – for reading the notes and listening to the tunes – should be in sync with their hands and coordination with your cognitive abilities, too.

3. Boosts Focus and Attention Span

The average attention span of a person right now is just between eight to nine seconds, not bad if you’re sharing static visual content on Facebook, but too bad if you’re trying to sell a product or insurance, for instance.

Train your child to retain their attention span as they grow up by having them learn how to play the piano. This instrument is great for this training, as kids will concentrate on several things: notes, rhythm, posture, finger placement, and the like.

4. Supports Language and Math Development

It isn’t true that only mathematics prodigies can become piano superstar talent. However, what’s indisputable is that piano strengthens math development in counting beats, understanding fractions, and recognizing patterns on a music note sheet. Aside from developing math learning, playing the piano also supports language development.

5. Builds Emotional Awareness and Reduces Stress

Does your child get too emotional quickly when finding themselves in an unfavorable situation in school? Do they get easily stressed out? Now is the proper time to combat these by introducing them to piano lessons.

This instrument gives them an outlet to express themselves. Plain and simple. Scientifically, playing the piano lowers stress hormones and boosts mood chemicals in the brain.

6. Encourages Lifelong Learning and Confidence

When kids see they’ve fulfilled their goals, whether playing their favorite song on the piano or performing in a recital, they feel more ready to take on new challenges in the future. This is another amazing benefit that piano playing can give.

7. A Smart Investment in Their Future

In this day and age, it isn’t enough for kids to just be sports-minded or academically inclined; they must also be well-rounded, a jack of all trades of some sort.

Signing up your child for piano lessons is an investment in their future, as well as for the development of a sharper mindset. Don’t be surprised if they’ve de-cluttered their room before you even tell them to after a piano playing session.

So, whether your child is just starting school or already juggling homework and after-school activities, the piano is one of those rare outlets that supports the whole child – mind, body, and heart. Enroll your child in a piano school today!

Like most things in life, playgrounds are evolving. Simple, wooden equipment with swings, slides, and seesaws were once viewed as modern. But today, things are changing! New modalities of play combined with innovative technology and updated safety and inclusivity measures are revamping playgrounds for the better.

Below are some of today’s top trends in playground design and a few pointers that schools and parks need to know.

1. Eco-Friendly Design

Contractors and builders today are being tasked to create more sustainable, eco-friendly structures. The same is true for playgrounds! By using recycled materials, playground developers can build a structure out of older materials, which helps reduce waste and save resources. For instance, recycled rubber from old tires can be used as soft surface materials for playgrounds. Reclaimed wood can also be used to build benches or climbing walls.

Another way to create an eco-friendly playground is to use biodegradable materials. These materials naturally break down over time, so they don’t harm the environment. Wood, rubber, pea gravel, and engineered wood fiber are all biodegradable materials.

Schools and parks looking to build an eco-friendly playground should think about all the materials being used as well as what energy will go into building the playground. This starts with looking for an open area and evaluating topography elements, including soil quality and drainage. Select the materials mentioned that won’t pose any harm to the environment. Also, consider keeping any natural elements, such as logs and boulders, as long as they don’t pose any harm or threat to little ones. Adding in plants natural to the habitat can enhance the experience as well as provide sensory stimulation and create educational opportunities.

2. Safety Enhancements

Play is all fun and games until someone gets hurt. Thankfully, new developments are ensuring that kids are enjoying themselves without risking their safety. Safety measures literally start from the ground up. Playground surfacing is now designed to absorb impact and lessen the chance of serious injuries from falls. Rubber surfacing is a great choice that many parks and schools select because of its absorption qualities. Synthetic turf can also be a great option that mimics the look of real grass. If you’re located in a super dry environment, turf can be a good option that doesn’t require any watering!

In terms of the equipment itself, any elevated surfaces, such as ramps or platforms, should have railings to prevent falls. Any hardware like hooks or bolt ends should have an endcap to minimize risks as well. Also, soft surfacing should extend beyond swing sets to meet twice the height of the suspending bar.

Park and school officials should check playground equipment regularly, looking for hazards like rusted or corroded equipment and other dangers. Scheduling maintenance checks every quarter at the very least will help ensure the play space is a safe space for all children.

3. Sensory Experiences

Playing with others is a great way for children to gain social and motor skills, but so is sensory play. Sensory-based activities help little ones with brain development and can be a more engaging way to learn and explore. Playgrounds that incorporate sensory experiences stimulate a child’s different senses while promoting play.

Adding in a musical instrument zone, for instance, can entice children to explore different sounds and rhythms. Incorporating a textural sensory garden rich in colors and scents can engage children’s senses of sight, touch, and smell. Including different textures in the form of grass, sand, rubber, wood, and metal is another way to activate the senses.

If a neighborhood or city park decides to add in a water element, it can be nice to have a nearby changing station or restroom. Parents will appreciate having a dedicated space to either put a swimsuit on a child or remove it after play!

4. Inclusive Design

More and more playgrounds are becoming accessible destinations for all children, regardless of physical abilities. Adding in ramps and wider paths, for example, can help ensure kids with wheelchairs are able to move around freely. Adding ground-level play structures, such as a musical instrument wall or gliders and rockers, are good options for those unable to climb steep equipment. Also, think about children who are unable to kneel or squat. A standing sandbox, as opposed to a ground-level one, can be an option for them.

It’s also important to think about noise levels. While many children will take part in screaming and yelling at a park, it can be a sensory overload for those with more sensitive needs. Establishing a “quiet zone” for these children to take a pause and escape from the chaos can be a welcome respite. A garden area on the outskirts of the park with benches and flowers can be the reprieve they need before going back and engaging with the other children.

In today’s world, parks and schools should be focused on creating an inclusive design from the very beginning. Thinking about all children’s ability levels shows that you are considering everyone’s needs. A school-wide or city-wide survey can help developers best understand what is on the minds of parents today. These suggestions will only improve the playground, ensuring that everyone feels welcome and invited to play.

All parents want their children to succeed as adults. While luck plays a role, much of their future success comes from early childhood experiences. Studies have repeatedly shown just how influential a child’s early years are, impacting everything from emotional well-being and social development to academic performance.

That extends to their later career success and how their early development plays a part in shaping their adulthood. Strong academic performance is a big indicator of professional achievements in adulthood and is linked to the child’s brain power. It’s simply much easier for them to do well in school if their critical thinking, concentration, and memory skills have been fully developed.

As a parent, you can gently nudge your child’s brain power in the right direction. In this post, we’ll look at a bunch of handy tips that should, all combined, give your child a slight — yet impactful — advantage.

Let Their Imagination Run Wild

A child’s imagination can be pretty wild. While it might be difficult for you to keep up with their trains of thought, it’s recommended to encourage them to engage in creative thinking.  Studies have shown that engaging in creative exercises — including thinking — helps to make the brain more flexible, aids connection-building, and enhances decision-making and concentration.

The next time your child seems to be in a world of their own imagination, remember that they’re doing more than simply playing. They’re giving their brain the tools it needs to be at its best. 

Playing Games

It can sometimes be difficult to get children to engage in brain-boosting activities. After all, they would argue — not incorrectly — that they already spend enough time at school and doing homework. Asking them to do extra work that may one day benefit their career may be slightly too much.

The solution? Encourage them to put their brain to work without them even realizing it. Some games, such as Wordle, chess, Sudoku, and Scrabble have been shown to boost problem-solving and critical thinking skills, allowing your child to enhance their brain power while also having fun. While you will want to allow them to play “normal” games on occasion, try to make a habit of playing those brain-boosting games — and don’t forget that you can also play them to enhance your own brainpower!

Be a Reading Household

Want an effective way to get your child to read more? Fill your home with books. It’s not realistic to think that a child will go out of their way — say, to the library — to find a book to read, but when they’re already surrounded by books? Then you’ll be greatly increasing the chances that they pick one up and begin reading.

Note that it’s unlikely to be enough to just have books around the house. Remember that children pick up habits from their parents. If you’re scrolling on your phone all day, then that’s probably what they’ll do too. On the other hand, if you’re continually sitting down reading, then it’ll be more likely that they follow suit.

Learn a Second Language

There’s a lot of value in teaching your child a second language. Becoming multilingual helps children to be more flexible thinkers, and has also been shown to enhance empathy. Even if your child is a little resistant to the idea of learning a second language, it’s one of those things that’ll pay off in the long run. There’s a lot of confidence that can come from traveling to a foreign country and being able to speak the local language!

If you’re looking for a language that’s not English for a child to learn, consider one of the Romance languages, such as French or Spanish. Knowing one of these makes it much easier to learn the others, and opens up a world of traveling opportunities, including Europe and South America.

Follow a Healthy Diet

It’s no secret that it’s important for children to follow a healthy diet. More than anything, it’ll help to encourage them to follow a healthy diet in adulthood. But it can also help to give their brain a boost, too. Some foods have been linked to enhanced brain performance, including fatty fish, dark leafy greens (such as spinach), walnuts, and berries.

And the best part of those ingredients? They’re all delicious! Look up a good recipe that includes those ingredients, and you’ll be giving your family a healthy, nutritious meal that supports both their mental and physical well-being.

Prioritize Education

Some children are naturally motivated to do well in school, but most need a little encouragement. And, of course, the best source of that motivation is the parents. Getting your child to take their education seriously isn’t about simply lecturing them about the consequences of poor academic consequences. It’s about showing respect for education. For example, this could mean taking the time to meet your child’s teachers, making sure that there’s a well-oiled school routine, and finding your child a tutor for any subjects that they’re finding difficult.

Get Outdoors

There’s much to love about taking a hike in the great outdoors as a family — including the effect that it’ll have on your child’s brain power (and also yours!). One study found that spending time outside had as much of a positive impact on cognitive thinking as acute exercise.

There are other benefits to spending time in nature as a family, of course. It’s a great way to develop the family bond, encourage an appreciation for nature, and enhance physical fitness, for example. As with most things, the more you put in, the more you’ll get out. Make a habit of going for a walk in the woods every couple of weeks, and you’ll be encouraging a healthy practice that’ll stay with your child for the rest of their lives.

Encourage Physical Activity

We mentioned above that acute exercise can have a positive impact on cognitive thinking. While your child will likely get some exercise at school, it’s recommended to find an activity that you can all do together as a family. Studies have shown that the most brain-boosting benefits of exercise happen when physical activity happens multiple times a week. You don’t need to overthink the type of activity that you do; it can be going for a walk, bike ride, or playing some ball games together. So long as it’s active and gets the heart rate up, it’ll work!

Sleeping Well

Even the most intellectually gifted of us struggle to perform when we’re tired. A lack of sleep decreases a person’s capacity for concentration and impacts their memory. If your child struggles to fall — or stay — asleep, then look at putting together a pre-bed routine that puts their body and mind into a relaxed state, including limiting screen time, since research suggests that using a device in the one before going to bed can impact sleep quality.

Try Mindfulness

There’s an increasing body of research that suggests that meditation and mindfulness can offer profound benefits to children, including improving focus and concentration, elevating mood, and helping to regulate emotions. And aside from giving your child’s mind and mood a boost, starting a regular meditation practice when they’re young can put them on an early path toward wellness, which can make a big difference when they’re in adulthood.

Ask Questions

Finally, you can encourage your child to put their brain to work by asking them open-ended questions. You can do this with anything, from asking them about their days to getting their musings on bigger matters, such as what they think is out there in the cosmos. It’s a good way to spark their curiosity and teach them the power of using their brains.