Taylor Powell
Management Services Committee Member
Industrial Motor Service, Inc.
In the electrical apparatus field, emotions rarely enter the conversation—not because they aren’t present, but because the work has always been defined by precision, discipline and solving problems under pressure. Our industry prioritizes doing the job right, not discussing how the job feels.
But even in a trade built on technical mastery, emotions quietly influence how teams communicate, how they learn and how receptive they are to correction. Whether we acknowledge it or not, these emotional currents in a service center push a day forward—or slow it down—just as much as the procedures we follow.
That is where emotional intelligence becomes a leadership advantage. Emotional intelligence is simply the ability to recognize, understand and manage your own emotions— and to recognize and respond to the emotions of others. When leaders grasp this side of their teams, performance improves—but more importantly, people grow. They become problem-solvers instead of task-doers. They become the next generation of leaders.
What a Service Center Without Emotional Intelligence Looks Like
Service centers lacking emotional intelligence tend to follow the same pattern: questions go unasked, mistakes repeat themselves, and the distance between the office and the shop widens. Younger technicians drift away, and the same handful of people shoulder every responsibility because no one else feels confident stepping forward.
What a Service Center With Emotional Intelligence Looks Like
By contrast, when emotional intelligence is present, the entire dynamic shifts. Teams communicate earlier. Collaboration strengthens. Morale holds steady even when the workload spikes. Leaders guide instead of micromanaging, and technicians stick around because they feel capable and supported. Technical mastery gets the work done; emotional intelligence determines the consistency and quality of that work.
The Four Keys to Emotional Intelligence
1. Self-Awareness: Understanding Your Leadership Impact
Tone spreads faster than grease in a motor shop. A stressed or short-tempered leader sends ripples through the building long before they speak. Self-awareness is simply knowing when your own emotional state is running the room. Your tone, your pace, your urgency — these cues set the emotional baseline for the entire team.
Confident leadership emerges when you’re conscious of that influence. Without it, employees slip into hesitation and self-doubt. A single frustrated response can make someone wonder whether they caused the issue or whether it’s “not a good time” to ask for clarity. A quick pause — “Is this reaction about the issue in front of me or the ten things behind me?” — can redirect the entire day.
2. Self-Regulation: Maintaining Composure Under Pressure
Pressure is constant in this field. A rewind fails at the end of the day, a customer demands an immediate update or a critical job falls behind schedule. Leaders with emotional intelligence respond rather than react. They slow the moment down, ask for facts and deliver feedback that guides instead of discourages.
Because urgency drives this industry, teams instinctively mirror the emotional posture of the person in charge. A steady leader creates a steady service center. When composure becomes predictable, performance does too.
3. Motivation: Connecting Daily Work to a Bigger Mission
People leave jobs when the purpose disappears, not the difficulty. Motivation in this field is not about enthusiasm; it’s about grounding people in the significance of their craft. When leaders lose sight of the mission, the team quickly follows.
Technicians are not simply repairing motors. They are sustaining manufacturing lines, protecting critical infrastructure and preventing high-cost shutdowns. When employees understand the scale of their impact, pride replaces burnout, and engagement lasts far longer.
4. Empathy: Understanding Before Judging
Expectations should never change, but perspective should. Performance dips often reflect more than what meets the eye. Behind a late arrival or a distracted day might be a family loss, a custody challenge or a personal crisis. A quick reaction from leadership can close people off; empathy opens them.
A single question — “Is this really about the job, or is something bigger weighing on them?” — can turn a confrontation into collaboration. Empathy doesn’t excuse performance, but it provides context that strengthens decision-making. When leaders create space for honest conversation during evaluations, they gain insight that makes planning and communication far more effective.
How to Put It Into Practice
Emotional intelligence doesn’t require a personality overhaul. It begins with small, intentional choices in daily leadership.
1. Model the Emotional Standard You Expect: People watch their leaders more than they listen to them. A steady tone, patience during stress, and transparency during frustration set the emotional benchmarks the team will adopt.
2. Talk to Your Team Routinely: Most tension stems from unclear expectations. Short, consistent touchpoints— morning huddles, status updates, toolbox talks—keep the entire shop aligned and reduce unnecessary friction.
3. Replace Telling with Coaching: “Do this next.” creates dependence. “What do you see?” or “How would you solve this?” creates thinkers. Coaching builds technicians who can lead, not just follow.
Emotions Are Tools, Not Weakness
Craftsmanship, precision and reliability have always defined the electrical apparatus industry, but emotional intelligence is the force that strengthens all three. If we want teams who think ahead, communicate clearly and lead confidently, emotional intelligence must become part of how we develop people — not an afterthought.
The goal isn’t to build a team that waits to be rescued. It’s to build one that operates with independence, clarity and stability no matter what comes through the door. Tools will break. Processes will evolve. Customers will shift. But leadership — steady, intentional, emotionally aware leadership — determines whether a team simply survives the day or builds something built to last.
