Leaders with high EQ (emotional intelligence) can communicate with others effectively, provides balanced feedback, leads others through ambiguity, uses humor to build rapport, reads and responds to the leadership needs of others and remains optimistic even in the face of difficulty. These leaders can emotionally and mentally plug into others and can read the situation at hand and behave accordingly to get the best results for everyone. Developing EQ in accounting and finance leaders can be a particularly beneficial competency, leading to better employee engagement, smoother operations with less conflict, and enhanced overall success.