EP. 153: Leading With Emotional Intelligence in High-Stress Healthcare Teams

Emotional intelligence is not a soft skill; it is a power skill every healthcare leader needs.

In this episode, Dr. Renee Thompson speaks with Ama Mathewos, CEO of Evolve Lead Succeed, about the role of emotional intelligence in building healthy workplace cultures. Ama explains that self-awareness is the foundation of effective leadership and emphasizes the importance of self-management, emotional regulation, and pausing before reacting during difficult conversations and high-stress situations. She shares practical strategies for strengthening emotional intelligence, including naming emotions, recognizing triggers, setting boundaries, using scripts, and developing small daily habits that support well-being. Ama also discusses how coaching, leadership cohorts, and customized development programs help leaders build the skills needed to create and sustain thriving workplace cultures.

Tune in to learn how emotional intelligence can help healthcare leaders respond with clarity, build stronger relationships, and create work environments where people can thrive.

About Ama Mathewos:

Ama Mathewos is the CEO of Evolve Lead Succeed, and a board-certified advanced nurse executive with more than 20 years of experience. She partners with healthcare organizations to reimagine nursing leadership development that drives engagement, elevates team performance, and cultivates thriving workplace cultures.

Through Evolve Lead Succeed, Ama helps organizations equip leaders with the skills to create and sustain healthy workplace cultures. Her work includes customized workshops, leadership journeys, strategic transformation plans, executive coaching, nurse leader coaching, and cohort-based leadership development.

Ama is passionate about helping healthcare leaders strengthen emotional intelligence, navigate complex workplace dynamics, and develop the micro-behaviors needed to lead with clarity, confidence, and care.

What You’ll Learn In This Episode:

• Emotional intelligence helps healthcare leaders strengthen self-awareness, manage reactions, and better understand how their behavior affects team performance and workplace culture.

• Self-awareness requires more than knowing “how you are”; it means using feedback and reflection to understand your impact and make intentional changes.

• Leaders can improve self-management by recognizing triggers, noticing physical cues, pausing before reacting, and choosing a more thoughtful response.

• Naming emotions, setting boundaries, and using scripts can help leaders and clinicians stay calm during difficult conversations and disruptive interactions.

• Simple well-being practices in mindfulness, exercise, diet, and sleep can reduce urgency, improve perspective, and help leaders respond rather than react.

• Leadership development is most effective when it includes ongoing coaching, micro-practices, and community-based support, rather than relying solely on one-time training.

Links & Resources:

• Connect with and follow Ama Mathewos on LinkedIn.

• Visit Evolve Lead Succeed on LinkedIn, and explore its website

• Check out the 33 Scripts Guide to Address Disruptive Behavior here!

• Buy Renee Thompson’s book Enough! Eradicating Bullying & Incivility here!

• Grab a copy of Renee Thompson’s book Do No Harm Applies to Nurses Too! here.

• Learn more about the Eradicating Bullying & Incivility eLearning Program here!

Have a question for Renee?

Email us at wecare@healthyworkforceinstitute.com to have your leadership question featured in an upcoming Q&A episode!

Disclosure: The host may be compensated for linking to other sites or for sales of products we link to. As an Amazon Associate, Coffee Break earns from qualifying purchases.

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