Unlocking leadership potential: Understanding emotional intelligence in recruitment, succession planning, and development in the global development sector

What if the missing link in your leadership pipeline isn’t experience or expertise, but emotional intelligence?

In a sector as complex and people-driven as global development, organisations increasingly recognise that their mission's success hinges on more than just technical competence. Effective leadership, emotional resilience, cultural agility and team cohesion are critical to delivering lasting impact across regions, languages and sociopolitical contexts. As a result, many global development organisations are turning to psychometric assessments as a foundational tool for identifying, nurturing and sustaining leadership at every level.

Among the psychometric tools now central to this approach is the EQ-i 2.0, an evidence-based assessment of emotional intelligence (EI) that offers deep insights into how individuals perceive and express themselves, develop and maintain relationships, cope with challenges and use emotional information effectively.

This article explores how psychometrics – especially EQ-i 2.0 – can serve as a powerful starting point for leadership development, succession planning and recruitment, particularly within the unique context of the global development ecosystem.

Why psychometrics? Why now?

In global development, leaders are often required to navigate ambiguity, mediate across cultures and inspire action in complex and rapidly changing environments. Yet leadership pipelines in many global development organisations are inconsistent or ill-defined. Traditional hiring and development processes tend to over-rely on applications, interviews and subjective assessments, which – while helpful – may overlook deeper capabilities such as emotional agility, interpersonal effectiveness and resilience under pressure.

Psychometric tools fill this gap by offering a data-driven, standardised and objective method for evaluating traits, preferences and potential. They help organisations:

• Uncover leadership potential beyond CVs and credentials

• Support targeted, personalised development plans

• Improve fit in recruitment, reducing turnover and increasing team synergy

• Remove potential biases

• Establish a shared language for talent conversations across diverse geographies and functions

Introducing the EQ-i 2.0: Emotional Intelligence in Action

The EQ-i 2.0 (Emotional Quotient Inventory) is one of the most widely used and scientifically validated tools for assessing emotional intelligence. Based on the work of Dr Reuven Bar-On and refined over several decades, the EQ-i 2.0 assesses individuals across five composite scales and 15 subscales, including:

• Self-Perception: Self-regard, self-actualisation, emotional self-awareness

• Self-Expression: Emotional expression, assertiveness, independence

• Interpersonal: Empathy, social responsibility, interpersonal relationships

• Decision Making: Problem-solving, reality testing, impulse control

• Stress Management: Flexibility, stress tolerance, optimism

These categories are essential indicators of how individuals will show up as leaders, collaborators, mentors or change agents – especially in global roles that require managing uncertainty and connecting across cultures.

The Power of the Debrief: Translating Insight into Action

A psychometric tool is only as valuable as the conversations it catalyses. The debrief process – led by a certified practitioner – helps individuals not only interpret their scores but also connect the data to real-life scenarios. In a well-structured debrief, the participant gains:

• A nuanced understanding of their emotional intelligence profile

• Practical strategies to strengthen specific areas (e.g. managing conflict, handling stress, communicating more effectively)

• Confidence and clarity on how their emotional patterns influence others

In development organisations where feedback is often sparse or unclear, these sessions can be transformative – sparking self-awareness, accountability and a renewed commitment to growth.

From Insight to Impact: Coaching, Training and Mentorship

Once the psychometric baseline is established through assessments like the EQ-i 2.0, organisations can make informed choices and design more targeted and efficient leadership interventions:

• Coaching becomes more focused, addressing specific gaps or leveraging identified strengths

• Training programmes can be aligned to team-wide trends (e.g. low impulse control or limited empathy)

• Mentorship pairings can be curated to ensure complementary emotional styles and development opportunities

This approach creates a cohesive and personalised development pathway, rather than a one-size-fits-all model. In multicultural and mission-driven contexts, such specificity enhances engagement, retention and performance.

Building Better Hiring and Succession Strategies

In recruitment, psychometric assessments help move beyond “gut feel” and towards evidence-based selection. They offer insights into a candidate's potential fit for a role and a team, including their ability to:

• Lead through influence rather than authority

• Thrive in high-pressure environments

• Navigate stakeholder relationships with empathy and diplomacy

For succession planning, psychometrics enable organisations to map talent across the organisation, identifying both high performers and high potentials who may benefit from stretch roles, mentorship or coaching. This data-driven clarity is especially critical in global development, where well-planned transitions can protect project continuity, donor relations and organisational reputation.

Unique Relevance in the Global Development Sector

The global development space has distinctive challenges that make the use of psychometrics not just useful, but essential:

• Cross-cultural sensitivity: Tools like EQ-i 2.0 help assess interpersonal empathy and adaptability – both crucial for working across cultural divides

• Remote or decentralised teams: Objective data helps HR and leadership teams better understand and support staff they may rarely see in person

• Mission-driven leadership: Emotional intelligence often predicts how well individuals can inspire, connect and build trust – especially when resources are stretched and stakes are high

Moreover, in an era where donors are demanding greater accountability – not just in financial terms but in organisational strength and sustainability – psychometrics offer concrete evidence that a development organisation is investing in robust leadership capacity.

Conclusion

Psychometric tools like EQ-i 2.0 do not replace human judgement; they enhance it. They provide a mirror that helps leaders see themselves more clearly and help organisations see their talent more deeply and precisely. In a sector where people are the primary asset, investing in that clarity is not a luxury – it is a necessity.

At SRI Executive, we see this shift firsthand: organisations that embed psychometrics into their talent strategy do not just hire better, they lead better, grow faster and sustain their missions longer.

It is time for the global development sector to embrace the power of data-driven, human-centred leadership development fully.