August 5, 2025 | BOMA International, Ella Krygiel
With a tight market and uncertain economy, job seekers are feeling the stress of not only finding a job that meets their skillset — but, frankly, any job. And these struggles are not all in their heads. According to CNBC, the pace of employer hiring in April was the lowest in more than 10 years. While these statistics are a bit doom and gloom, Mandi Woodruff-Santos, career coach and financial expert, offers some uplifting advice. She emphasizes that even in a competitive environment like this one, you can never underestimate the “power of connections” to get noticed.
Pushing yourself out of your comfort zone to network and build professional relationships may seem daunting. But research shows that improving your interpersonal skills pays off. In fact, McKinsey & Company reports that the amount of time devoted to social and emotional skills will rise to 24% by 2030. Given these demands, emotional intelligence is a quality that leaders cannot afford to overlook. Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and manage your emotions, as well as recognize and influence the emotions of those around you (Harvard Business Review). HBR’s research shows that emotional intelligence (EQ) is the strongest predictor of performance, as those with high EQ are more likely to:
- Stay calm under pressure.
- Resolve conflict effectively.
- Respond to co-workers with empathy.
During our BOMA International Annual Conference session, “Negotiating with Emotional Intelligence for Success and Stronger Relationships,” our speakers, Ben Bailey, Managing Director, JLL; Dana Lemelin, Global Head of Learning & Development, JLL and Jessica Pernicone, Head of Solutions Development for Client Value and Growth, JLL discussed emotional intelligence as a tool for navigating high-stakes situations effectively. They provided valuable insights during the session. Below, they dive deeper into their most actionable strategies:
Ben Bailey: You discussed the importance of pausing to reflect and cultivating a gratitude perspective when emotions are triggered. What are the most effective ways leaders can foster emotional regulation and psychological safety within their teams in high-stakes situations, so that these practices feel authentic rather than forced?
The first thing is not to wait until your team arrives in a “high-stakes” situation before attempting to establish psychological safety — you have to cultivate it over time so everyone can ground themselves when triggering moments arise. In other words, if you haven’t done the homework, you stand little chance of passing the test. This is best accomplished through structured training where a common vocabulary is developed that helps individuals self-assess and navigate tense conversations constructively. It arms managers and colleagues with a way of communicating their needs and concerns clearly and helps them express empathy to others. From a leadership standpoint, modeling the behavior is key. Check in with team members on their emotional state to keep a pulse on how the team is reacting. You can also build trust through transparency and a willingness to be vulnerable about what you’re thinking and feeling in the right moments.
Dana Lemelin: You mentioned that emotional intelligence is becoming increasingly valuable as AI and automation continue to evolve, particularly for career longevity. How do you see EQ shaping the future of leadership roles in commercial real estate, and what steps can organizations take now to foster EQ development in their teams?
In commercial real estate, where relationships and trust drive business, emotional intelligence is becoming a key differentiator as routine tasks become automated. The leaders who will thrive are those who can navigate complex negotiations with empathy, read between the lines during client interactions, and build genuine connections that technology simply cannot replicate. I’ve observed that the most successful executives aren’t necessarily the most technically skilled—they’re the ones who can inspire others to succeed and grow, listen and show genuine care and foster inclusion across diverse teams and cultures. These attributes are invaluable to energizing people to follow their lead. Organizations can foster this critical skill by incorporating EQ assessments into their hiring and promotion processes, creating mentoring programs that pair emotionally intelligent leaders with high potential talent, and rewarding behaviors that demonstrate interpersonal savvy. The future of CRE leadership won’t be about who has the most market knowledge—it will be about who can build the strongest human connections while leveraging technological advances.
Jessica Pernicone: You highlighted the importance of emotional self-regulation and team preparation when entering sales negotiations. How do you recommend balancing emotional intelligence with assertiveness in negotiations, especially when the stakes are high and there’s pressure to close deals quickly?
My approach breaks down into five key strategies:
- I focus first on preparing mentally. I think through what my emotional triggers are, and I literally write out where the firm guardrails are. This preparation allows you to remain assertive about your needs while staying emotionally balanced when pressure builds.
- When trying to get a position agreed to within these guardrails, I try to frame my positions as questions that invite collaboration: “Given our timeline constraints, how might we structure this to meet both our deadline and your quality expectations?” This maintains your position while opening space for the other party.
- Practice conscious pausing during tense moments. Count to five, it’s a little uncomfortable but allows you to mentally reset when you feel pressure mounting. This demonstrates confidence rather than weakness.
- Separate the relationship from the transaction by maintaining professional assertiveness about deal terms while using emotional intelligence to build rapport with the other party. On breaks, connect about outside interests to build trust and camaraderie.
- Develop recovery strategies for when emotions do surface. Having prepared phrases like “I need to consider that point further” or “let’s put that in the parking lot and revision at the next session” can create breathing room when you feel emotional reactions building.
Interested in more content like this? Read our recent articles, CRE Meets Gen-Z: Designing for the Next Generation of Work or Expert Perspectives on the Office Market Recovery. You can view all this content and more when you click here to sign up for our General newsletter!