The Hidden Power of Emotional Intelligence and Psychological Safety in Project Success

By Jacqueline E Dennis, PgMP, PMP

ABSTRACT
Years ago, I heard it said that if any one of us is the same as another then one of us is unnecessary; I’ve never forgotten it. However, despite acknowledging our differences, there are three things that we all have in common: 1. We are emotional beings; 2. We desire to belong to something, someone or both; 3. We need safe environments to be ourselves and give of ourselves – to live. These commonalities transcend where we are and what we do, emphasizing the need for the hidden powers of Emotional Intelligence (EI) and Psychological Safety to achieve success.

In the practice of project management, the focus is often placed on leadership to achieve success; however, leadership – no matter the style – is of little to no effect if the project manager has low EI and fosters psychologically unsafe environments. Therefore, to be successful, Psychological Safety and psychologically safe spaces must be in place to empower stakeholders to creatively take risks without reprisal; such environments will enable individuals to learn from mistakes made while pursuing project objectives, personal growth and fulfillment. EI plays an integral part in the cultivation of Psychological Safety (Oscar Gimenez, 2023).

Power Skills
After starting to practice mechanical engineering technology, my first career, I participated in a weekend class designed to help women excel in their respective careers. The participants who represented several countries were required to room together for the learning experience. During our time together, we focused on identifying the obscured aspects of our being that hindered our ability to effectively interact with others. The brief encounter heightened my awareness of and interest in “interpersonal” or “soft skills”, known as “power skills,” today. The experience birthed in me a desire to hone these skills, which soon became a passion.

The first opportunity I pursued to hone my skills was the result of feedback received from my late husband. In his quiet way, early one morning, he told me that I was not a good listener. I do not recall what prompted him to share this insight that was totally unexpected – surprising even, but I paused to take note because I valued his opinion. It was for this reason that I searched for, found and enrolled in a “listening” class offered at The Georgia State University.

The first day of class brought about a paradigm shift in what I understood as “listening.” The professor engaged the class in a two-part exercise, immediately upon entry. The first part required us to pair off to test our individual ability to listen, as each one took turns to read a script. For the second part, we were introduced to an Awareness Wheel and a Listening Cycle to apply and enhance our listening ability. I failed the first part miserably, yet I was convinced that the pursuit to hone my power skills was “spot on.”

The PMI Talent Triangle®, which validates credential holders, defines power skills as interacting with others via effective behaviors and tactics. The examples that are given in the Project Management Institute (PMI)® Process Groups: A Practice Guide (PGPG) include, but are not limited to:

Collaborative leadership
Communication
Innovative mindset
For-purpose orientation
Empathy

The PGPG goes on to say that “mastering power skills allows the professional to be powerful, influence stakeholders, instigate change and make ideas a reality” (PMI, 2023).

Shortly after my power-skills proficiency began to improve, starting with listening, I was introduced to Emotional Intelligence (EI). This occurred when preparing for my PMI Project Management Professional (PMP)® Certification. Years later, after earning a Program Management Professional (PgMP)® Certification, I was introduced to Psychological Safety. Since then, I have come to realize that (EI) plays an integral part in cultivating psychological safety (Oscar Gimenez, 2023), and that both are hidden powers for project success.

Emotional Intelligence (EI)
It was only by chance that about the time Goleman published his 10th anniversary edition that I took my first “deep dive” into truly understanding emotional intelligence. It started after being made to realize, in a group setting, that it was incorrect to say “I feel…,” when sharing a thought; rather, I should use “I think…” It was pointed out that the words “think” and “feel” are not interchangeable. Later I learned that there is physiological support for thoughts being different from feelings. The two originate from different parts of the brain. Thoughts originate in the neo-cortex – the part of the brain responsible for reasoning, and feelings or emotions originate in the amygdala. Examples of feelings are: love, anger, sadness, fear, disgust, surprise, calm, and shame (Goleman, 2005).

According to Daniel Goleman, the author of Emotional Intelligence, first published in 1995 and updated with its 10th anniversary edition in 2005, the very root of the word emotion is motere, the Latin verb “to move,” plus the prefix “e-” to connote “move away.” This suggests that implicit in every emotion is a tendency to act. In our emotional repertoire each one plays a unique role, as revealed by a distinctive biological signature that originates from the amygdala (Goleman, 2005).

Emotional Intelligence is not an oxymoron. In the late 1980s due to advanced brain wave scan technology, the “Emotional Brain” was discovered. Neuroscience proved that the neo-cortex and the limbic system, are meant to be used together. The limbic system provides meaning to your actions and without meaning it is impossible to align and commit (Casper, 2002) to what you are doing or need to do.

In 1990, University of New Hampshire’s psychologists John Mayer and Yale University’s Peter Salovey offered the first formulation of a concept called “emotional intelligence” (EI) in a time when the preeminence of Intelligence Quotient (IQ) as the standard of excellence in life was unquestioned. EI was found to eclipse IQ primarily in the “soft” (“power”) skills where intellect was relatively less relevant for success because emotional self-regulation and empathy were more noticeable than cognitive abilities (Goleman, 2005).

IQ scores predict extremely well to determine whether one can handle the cognitive challenges that a given position demands, and studies have shown the career rungs a person could manage, based on IQ. However, when predicting who among a talented pool of candidates within an intellectually demanding profession will become the strongest leader, IQ pales when compared to EI as the determinant (Goleman, 2005).

So, what is EI? EI is the ability to identify, assess, and manage the emotions of oneself and other people, as well as the collective emotions of groups of people (PMI, 2023). It is the capacity to get optimal results from your relationship with self and others (SixSeconds, 2024).

The Daniel Goleman EI model (shown) includes four (4) domains and 12 distinguishing competencies. The competencies are traits found in the highest performers that set themselves above the average (Keep Step Media, n.d.).

The domains with their respective competencies are:

Self-Awareness is the ability to:

Understand our own emotions and their effect on our performance.
Realize how one is affected by their feelings and understanding how true is the realization

Self-Management is the ability to:

Control disruptive emotions and impulses, to maintain effectiveness under stressful or even hostile conditions.
Maintain an emotional balance that helps to recognize emotions that interfere, e.g. high anxiety, fear or anger.
Perceive others in situations and events in a positive manner and being resilient, i.e. persistently pursuing goals despite setbacks or obstacle
Strive to meet or exceed standards of excellence, because of looking for ways to improve and setting challenging goals
Be flexible to change, new situations or ideas and innovative approaches, while maintain a focus on goals and or objectives

Social Awareness is the ability to:

Sense others feelings (emotions), picking up cues, and how they perceive situations, while taking an active interest in their concerns
Read the emotional currents of a group, e.g.:
Power relationships
Identify influencers
Social networks
Dynamics of decision making

Relationship Management is the ability to:

Engage in long-term learning and the development of others, via feedback and support
Guide others to perform at their best, via shared understanding and inspiration
Work with others toward a shared goal, via active participation and shared responsibility and contributions to the capability of the team
Help others through emotional situations and tactfully bring disagreements into the open to define solutions that can be collectively endorsed – owned by the team (Keep Step Media, n.d.)

EI is an indispensable asset in creating psychological safety, which will be explored next. Through cultivating self-awareness, self-regulation, social awareness, and relationship management, individuals contribute to an inclusive work environment where stakeholders feel safe in sharing ideas and taking risks without fear (Oscar Gimenez, 2023).

Anyone can become angry—that is easy. But to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose, and in the right way—that is not easy (Goleman, 2005).

-ARISTOTLE, The Nichomachean Ethics

PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY

My introduction to psychological safety was unintentional. I was browsing a bookstore and happened upon the book written by Timothy R. Clark, titled, “The Four Stages of Psychological Safety: Defining the Path to Inclusion and Innovation” (Clark, 2020). The title intrigued me because of the focus on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in the workplace; so, I purchased it. Little did I know that another shift in my paradigm was about to occur. I thought EI was the crème-de-la-crème of power skills, and in my opinion, it still is; yet I now think that Psychological Safety is a close second to EI.

Psychological Safety is an environmental condition where individuals are included, safe to learn, safe to contribute and safe to challenge the status quo without fear (Clark, 2020). (See Figure 4.) The concept of Psychological Safety is not new. It goes back to the time of Carl Rogers who spoke about “unconditional positive regard” and Abraham Maslow who, in his Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (shown) identified belongingness needs” as a need that will emerge only after physiological and safety needs are met. Psychological Safety is a manifestation for self-preservation in a social and emotional sense. Eric Fromm said that unless he belonged somewhere, unless his life had some meaning and direction, he would feel like a particle of dust and be overcome by his individual insignificance and not be able to relate to any system, which would give him meaning and direction. As a consequence, he would be filled with doubt that would eventually paralyze his ability to act – to live (Clark, 2020).

A lack of Psychological Safety can be devastating to project environments (Machlin, 2024). A person could experience a(n):

Infliction of devastating emotional wounds
Neutralization of performance
Paralyzing of potential
Cratering of one’s sense of self-worth (Clark, 2020)

As indicated above in Figure 4. The Path to Inclusion and Innovation, there are four sequential stages for Psychological Safety as follows:

Inclusion safety is the first stage in achieving psychological safety. It is where inclusion is granted and never revoked or withheld (Media, 2021). It is where there is a sense of:
> Belongingness, i.e. being embraced by a particular group
> Acceptance, the act of consenting to receive membership into a group; similar to belongingness, but less intimate
> Respect for self and others. PMI defines respect as our duty to show a high regard for ourselves, others, and the resources entrusted to us (Project Management Institute, 2004).

Learner safety is the second stage, where inclusion safety is stable and there is an environment that is not only safe but also encouraging for others where there is:
> Freedom to fail, where failure is a step in learning in an environment where curiosity and motivation has taken root (Media, 2021)
> No reprisal for failing or making mistakes, because good leadership has minimized vulnerability through positive emotional response (Media, 2021)

Contributor safety is the third stage, where an individual is held accountable for his or her work and both inclusion and learner safety are in place. At this stage there is:
> Demonstration of valued contributions because of being competent and willing to accept responsibility
> Freedom to share ideas as a result of being in a collaborative environment
> No reprisal for sharing thoughts and ideas because of being understood and trusted (Media, 2021)

Challenger safety is the last stage that is available when all of the previous stages are in place. It should be established early in the environment, so individuals are accustomed to healthy behaviors and patterns (Media, 2021). At this stage there is:
> Freedom to speak one’s mind and challenge the status quo
> “Candor for cover,” meaning there is protection for speaking frankly, as long as no personal attacks or maliciousness is the intent (Media, 2021).

Psychologically Safety is the basis of high-performing teams and an innovative culture. It is at the core of DEI, and it is the shared belief that it makes the team environment safe for interpersonal risk-taking (Dr. Jacinta Jiménez, 2022). Safe spaces allow people to take risks creatively without being judged harshly, and in such an environment, individuals will learn from mistakes while taking risks in pursuit of personal growth and personal fulfillment. When psychologically safe, one is not marginalized, embarrassed or punished (Clark, 2020).

THE HIDDEN POWERS FOR PROJECT SUCCESS

Documentation is overwhelming on how “high” EI contributes to project success and positively impacts the bottom line. As one of many project examples, consider the prestigious Bell Labs in Princeton, New Jersey, from which many of our great technological advances originated. When Bell Labs examined the “star” project performers, the one trait that was held in common was their ability to effectively use EI to build networks to problem solve and create (Casper, 2002). Psychological safety, “on the other hand” was determined to be foundational for high-performing environments, because it encourages open communication, trust, and collaboration that ultimately leads to innovation and higher rates of project success (Machlin, 2024).

Many commercial organizations survive by incubating innovation, to maintain competitive advantage. Innovation is almost always a collaborative process and almost never a time of single-lone genius. It requires creative abrasion and constructive dissent – processes that rely on high intellectual friction and low social friction, which are evident in psychologically safe environments. Most leaders don’t comprehend that when managing these two types of friction an ecosystem of collaboration will be created, which is at the heart of leadership as an applied discipline (Clark, 2020).

Imagine for a moment that you are assigned to manage an artificial intelligence (AI) project that will integrate AI in your company’s website. You are working in an environment where you feel safe to voice your opinions, take risks, and be your authentic self. So, having learned about EI and Psychological Safety, you decide to create a project success model (shown above) that goes beyond the PMI Talent Triangle®. It incorporates the hidden powers of EI, Psychological Safety – crucial elements that can make or break project performance. Though the model appears to be sequential, in actuality it is dynamic in its application.

The Project Success Model has three categories: EI, Psychological Safety, and Project Success. EI includes three elements: Know Yourself, Choose Yourself, and Give Yourself, where Know Yourself reflects self-awareness, Choose Yourself reflects self-management, and Give Yourself reflects social awareness and relationship management. Psychological Safety includes the four stages aforementioned in the previous section: Inclusion Safety, Learner Safety, Contributor Safety, and Challenger Safety. Project Success includes: Power Skills, Business Acumen, and Ways of Working – the PMI Talent Triangle® elements.

Additionally, the following 12 principles that help to guide behaviors for project success are distributed among the three model categories:

Set a course of action that is based on values (responsibility, respect, honesty and fairness) and a sense of purpose, then stay calm to think clearly while under stress, even in a crisis
Look for opportunities in situations that might appear to be a setback, to maintain an achievement-oriented perspective
Listen attentively to understand, rather than to be understood, in an effort to diversify your thinking according to cultural differences in the workplace
Give constructive feedback, by establishing a sense of common purpose that goes beyond the day-to-day tasks, and redirect energy toward agreeable solutions (Keep Step Media, n.d.)
Foster a culture of learning that minimizes vulnerability through consistent patterns of healthy giving of self, to support the way(s) of working
Distribute leadership and submissiveness in transparency and humility, as each stakeholder hones their business acumen
Demonstrate an understanding that uncertainties and conflicts exist and must be addressed in a constructive manner, via strategies for risk response planning and conflict resolution
Value attitudes that are constructive even in dissent, rather than destructive in derailment as tools, i.e. a stakeholder engagement and assessment matrix (SEAM) facilitates in transitioning from derailment to dissent
Welcome innovation that stems from trust building and high levels of collaboration
Provide a buffer for each team member, so there is freedom to challenge without fear of reprisal and resist a tendency towards homogeneity of thought
Value different perspectives and eliminate any hindrances to embracing diversity, while maintaining a shared understanding
Favor exploration and extend the field of vision for the team and organization, to incubate innovation (Media, 2021)

After identifying the core team for the AI Project, you hold a kick-off meeting, where the model and its principles are presented as a framework for project success. The core team, enthusiastically, decides to adopt the 12 principles as a basis for the team charter. They think it will enhance self-management and project governance. Specifically, they think the principles will establish healthy boundaries for how the team communicates, make decisions, resolves conflict and facilitates meetings.

Later in the life of the project, via lessons learned, your team presented and documented how the team charter helped to increase intellectual friction and decrease social friction (Clark, 2020) as they self-managed their work. They attributed these learnings to the Project Success Model, saying that it helped them to go beyond the mundane environment to one that is intellectually stimulating and safe. They shared that the project work as well as their personal values so closely aligned that, collectively, the team and the environment has become more meaningful to them.

As the project manager, you are elated at these learnings, because it proves that you engaged both hearts and minds (Casper, 2002) of your stakeholders by incorporating the hidden powers in your project environment to ensure project success!

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Jacqueline E. Dennis, PgMP, PMP

Jacqueline Dennis is a Senior Consultant with International Institute for Learning (IIL), a role held since 2008. Jacqueline has practiced project, program, and portfolio management, and brings over 30 years of experience in the project management profession. Her experience encompasses industries such as Services (R&D, consulting, educational, and technical); Manufacturing (telecommunications); and Construction (building masonry and mechanicals). She holds both a PgMP Credential and PMP Credential, since 2009 and 2002, respectively.