By Michael K. Adonteng

December 10th, 2025

Emotional intelligence or Emotional Quotient (EQ) isn’t fluff. It’s one of the sharpest tools in a B2B seller’s toolkit. In complex sales where deals are long, stakeholders are many, and risk feels high, EQ is what gets conversations unstuck and builds trust that closes.

In this article, we break down how emotional intelligence works in B2B sales, what it looks like in real deal cycles, and how sales leaders can coach it across their team.

Why EQ Matters in Modern Sales

Most sales teams over-index on logic, the pitch, the numbers, the features. But buyers make decisions emotionally and justify them rationally.

Here’s where EQ comes in:

  • Spotting hesitation early in a deal

     

  • Navigating internal politics without burning bridges

     

  • Adapting style to different stakeholders (legal, finance, end-users)

     

  • Building credibility when you’re the outsider

     

It’s not about being “soft.” It’s about being smart enough to read the room and adjust.

What EQ Looks Like in Sales

  1. Active Listening
    Reps who actually hear what buyers are saying and not just wait to respond are able to  uncover better insights.
  2. Empathy in Discovery
    EQ-based sellers go beyond surface pain to understand the real cost of a problem (frustration, political pressure, lost trust internally). 
  3. Reading the Signals
    High-EQ reps notice when the tone shifts, when silence means resistance, when a stakeholder is out of the loop.

        4. Staying Calm Under Pressure

           Deals go sideways. Stakeholders pull out. Budgets get cut. EQ helps reps navigate this without panicking or pushing.

EQ Across the Sales Process

  • Prospecting: Personalised, relevant messages land better because they speak to actual pain, not product features.

     

  • Discovery: High EQ helps reps dig into sensitive issues — things buyers won’t say if they don’t feel safe.

     

  • Negotiation: Empathy and awareness turn confrontations into collaboration.

     

  • Post-sale: Relationship management becomes easier when EQ is part of how you engage.

     

Why Most Sales Orgs Struggle With EQ

  • It’s not in the metrics. Pipelines track meetings, not human signals.

     

  • It’s rarely coached. EQ is assumed to be innate, but it can be taught.

     

  • It’s undervalued. Many leaders over-index on activity and under-index on connection.

     

But high-performing sellers consistently rate higher on EQ. It’s what helps them build champions, navigate blockers, and earn trust in tough rooms.

How to Coach EQ on Your Team

  1. Model it in leadership. How you give feedback, run meetings, and show up in the room sets the tone.
  2. Debrief deals with an EQ lens. Ask: Did we build enough trust? Did we miss emotional cues? Did we understand the internal politics?
  3. Train reps to ask better questions. EQ starts with curiosity. Questions that go beyond surface pain unlock real insight.
  4. Reward behaviours, not just outcomes. Celebrate reps who win through relationship-building, not just hustle.

Final Word: People Buy From People

In B2B, your product might be great. Your deck might be tight. But if your buyer doesn’t feel understood, they won’t move forward.

Emotional intelligence is what helps reps:

  • Build fast trust

     

  • Handle objections without defensiveness

     

  • Win support inside the buyer’s org

     

At ASA, we help sales leaders embed EQ into how their teams sell, not as a nice extra, but as a core part of how deals get done.

 

Explore our articles section for other topics of interest.

                   Michael K. Adonteng

                     Founder, ASA

 

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