A Counterpoint (Because It’s Not That Simple)
To be fair, there’s a part of me that sympathizes with my former colleague’s frustration. Maybe he did deserve a chance. Genius has its place. There are days in complex consulting work when raw analytical power can be a lifesaver. And let’s be honest—Filipino workplaces sometimes promote people based on familiarity or loyalty rather than actual competence. So no, EQ is not an excuse to reward mediocrity.
But leadership is emotional labor. It’s handling tension, guiding conflict, soothing egos, balancing expectations, and managing one’s own triggers while navigating everyone else’s. That takes maturity, not just intelligence.
The Filipino Lesson in All This
Looking back, I think what struck me most wasn’t the shouting. It was how uncomfortable everyone felt watching someone implode over a title. In Filipino culture, losing composure that publicly is shocking. We’re raised on hiya. Even when we’re angry, we express it through quiet terseness, not outbursts.
What happened that morning on the 28th floor wasn’t just a failure of EQ—it was a failure to understand how people work, connect, and trust.
And in Filipino organizations, trust is currency.
It’s why someone with average credentials but excellent relational skills can sometimes outperform a genius who can’t collaborate. It’s why a “non-elite” graduate can become the most respected supervisor, while the most academically decorated staff remains stuck.
The Lesson I Carried Forward
I still remember walking in the hallways of our posh and chic office later, replaying everything. I was a young analyst then—quiet, observant, unsure of my place. I didn’t fully understand leadership yet. But that day, watching someone brilliant lose everything over one missing piece, I learned a truth that has guided me since:
People don’t follow titles.
People follow those who make them feel safe, heard, and valued.
IQ may win arguments…But EQ wins people.
And leadership, at its core, has always been about people.
If Philippine workplaces want leaders who lift rather than fracture teams, then we must stop treating technical brilliance as the only marker of leadership potential. Evaluate EQ seriously. Coach it. Model it. Reward it.
Because in the end, the smartest person in the room isn’t always the one who should lead.
But the one who leads well is always the one others choose to follow.
***
Columnist Bio
Nicasio A. Pimentel III is a UK-certified human resources practitioner and educator with over 15 years of experience spanning HR strategy, analytics, systems integration and talent management across several Fortune Global 500 companies and public sector institutions in UK, Australia and the Middle East. He holds an MSc in Management and Human Resources from the prestigious London School of Economics and a BA Psychology from the University of the Philippines Diliman. A former Christian missionary to marginalized ethnic minorities in Cambodia, he now teaches psychology at the University of Antique and continues to serve underserved communities in Western Visayas through grassroots ministry and education advocacy. He is also an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (Assoc CIPD) in the UK. For questions, e-mail nicasio.pimentel@antiquespride.edu.ph./PN
