Build stronger leaders with EQ-i 2.0® and EQ360®
Strong leadership is not just about technical knowledge, experience or strategic thinking.
It is also about how leaders communicate, make decisions, respond under pressure, build trust, manage conflict and support the people around them.
That is where emotional intelligence can make a real difference.
At Amplify HR, we use the EQ-i 2.0 and EQ360 emotional intelligence assessment tools to help leaders and teams better understand their strengths, development areas and leadership impact. These insights can then be used for coaching, leadership development workshops, team development and succession planning.
Whether you are developing emerging leaders, supporting a senior leadership team or helping managers lead through change, emotional intelligence assessments can provide practical insight that supports real behaviour change. Book a free discovery call to discuss your needs.
What is emotional intelligence?
Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognise, understand and manage emotions in yourself and others.
In the workplace, this can influence how people communicate, collaborate, solve problems, make decisions and respond to stress.
For leaders, emotional intelligence can affect:
How they build trust with their team
How they respond under pressure
How they manage difficult conversations
How they make decisions when emotions are involved
How they coach, motivate and support others
How they adapt to change
How they influence workplace culture
Emotional intelligence is not about being emotional at work. It is about using emotional information in a constructive and meaningful way.
What is the EQ-i 2.0 assessment?
The EQ-i 2.0 is an emotional intelligence assessment that measures emotional and social functioning.
It helps individuals understand how they perceive themselves, express themselves, relate to others, make decisions and manage stress.
The assessment provides a detailed report that identifies strengths, development opportunities and practical strategies for action. It can be used for individual development, leadership coaching, team development and broader leadership programs.
The EQ-i 2.0 is completed online and is followed by a facilitated debrief so participants can understand their results and apply the insights in a practical way.
The EQ-i 2.0 assessment explores five core areas that influence how leaders communicate, make decisions and respond to workplace challenges.
What does EQ-i 2.0 measure?
The EQ-i 2.0 model measures emotional intelligence across five core areas.
Self perception
Self perception looks at how well a person understands themselves. This includes self regard, self actualisation and emotional self awareness.
For leaders, this can influence confidence, self awareness, motivation and the ability to understand how emotions affect behaviour.
Self expression
Self expression looks at how a person expresses thoughts, feelings and beliefs. This includes emotional expression, assertiveness and independence.
For leaders, this can influence communication, decision making, confidence and the ability to speak up in a constructive way.
Interpersonal skills
Interpersonal skills look at how a person builds and maintains relationships. This includes interpersonal relationships, empathy and social responsibility.
For leaders, this can influence trust, collaboration, team connection, coaching and the ability to understand other people’s perspectives.
Decision making
Decision making looks at how a person uses emotional information when solving problems. This includes problem solving, reality testing and impulse control.
For leaders, this can influence objectivity, judgement, problem solving and the ability to pause before reacting.
Stress management
Stress management looks at how a person responds to pressure, change and uncertainty. This includes flexibility, stress tolerance and optimism.
For leaders, this can influence resilience, adaptability, confidence during change and the ability to support others through uncertainty.
What is the EQ360 assessment?
The EQ360 assessment builds on the EQ-i 2.0 by including feedback from other people.
While EQ-i 2.0 is based on a person’s own responses, EQ360 also gathers feedback from people who work with them. This may include their manager, peers, direct reports or other stakeholders.
This can be especially useful for leaders because it helps compare how they see themselves with how others experience their behaviour.
EQ360 can help identify:
Leadership strengths that others value
Blind spots that may be limiting effectiveness
Differences between self perception and external perception
Opportunities to improve communication, trust and influence
Development priorities for coaching or leadership programs
For many leaders, this feedback can be powerful because it moves the conversation from intention to impact.
What is the difference between EQ-i 2.0 and EQ360?
EQ-i 2.0 is best suited when you want an individual to understand their own emotional intelligence profile.
EQ360 is best suited when you want to add feedback from others and explore how a leader’s behaviour is experienced in the workplace.
Both tools are valuable. The right choice depends on your goals, the seniority of the participant, the level of feedback required and how the results will be used.
| Tool | Best for | What it measures | Output |
|---|---|---|---|
| EQ-i 2.0 | Individual leaders, employees and teams | Self perceived emotional and social functioning | Individual report with strengths and development strategies |
| EQ360 | Leaders and managers | Self assessment plus feedback from others | 360 degree report highlighting strengths, blind spots and development opportunities |
EQ-i 2.0 may be suitable when you want to:
Support individual leadership development
Help managers build self awareness
Identify personal strengths and development areas
Support coaching conversations
Build a foundation for a leadership development workshop
EQ360 may be suitable when you want to:
Support senior leaders or executives
Identify leadership blind spots
Compare self perception with feedback from others
Strengthen communication, influence and trust
Support deeper coaching and development planning
If you are unsure which tool is the best fit, Amplify HR can help you choose the right approach.
Why emotional intelligence matters for leadership
Leadership is not only about what a leader knows. It is also about how they behave and how they make others feel.
A leader may have strong technical skills, but if they struggle with communication, emotional regulation, empathy or adaptability, their team can feel confused, unsupported or disconnected.
Emotional intelligence helps leaders become more aware of their impact.
It can support leaders to:
Communicate more clearly
Build stronger working relationships
Make better decisions under pressure
Respond rather than react
Manage conflict more constructively
Support employee engagement and wellbeing
Coach and develop team members
Lead through change with more confidence
This is why EQ-i 2.0 is often used as part of leadership development, coaching and team development programs.
Emotional intelligence and leadership potential
The EQ-i 2.0 Leadership Report connects emotional intelligence with four important areas of leadership potential.
Authenticity | Coaching | Insight | Innovation |
Authentic leaders build trust by acting with consistency, fairness and self awareness. They are clear about their values and their behaviour aligns with what they say matters. Emotional intelligence can support authenticity by helping leaders understand themselves, communicate openly and stay grounded in their decisions. | Leaders who coach effectively help others grow. They listen, ask good questions, provide feedback and support people to improve their performance. Emotional intelligence can support coaching by helping leaders build empathy, strengthen relationships and understand what each person needs to perform at their best. | Insightful leaders create purpose, direction and hope. They help people understand where the business is going and why their contribution matters. Emotional intelligence can support insight by helping leaders communicate with clarity, optimism and connection. | Innovative leaders encourage learning, fresh thinking and adaptability. They create an environment where people can challenge ideas, solve problems and explore new ways of working. Emotional intelligence can support innovation by helping leaders manage uncertainty, stay flexible and create psychological safety for new ideas. |
Who should use EQ-i 2.0 or EQ360?
Emotional intelligence assessments can be useful for individuals, teams and organisations.
They are especially helpful for:
Business owners who want to develop stronger leaders
Senior leaders who want to improve self awareness and impact
New and emerging leaders stepping into management roles
Managers who need to improve communication and coaching skills
Teams navigating growth, change or conflict
Organisations designing leadership development workshops
HR teams looking for practical tools to support leadership development
Businesses that want to improve culture, trust and engagement
EQ-i 2.0 and EQ360 are not about labelling people. They are about helping people understand themselves more clearly so they can lead and work with others more effectively.
How Amplify HR uses EQ-i 2.0 and EQ360
At Amplify HR, we use emotional intelligence assessments as part of a practical development process.
We do not believe in giving people a report and leaving them to work it out on their own.
The value comes from the conversation, reflection and action that follows.
Depending on your needs, we can use EQ-i 2.0 or EQ360 as part of:
Individual leadership coaching
Leadership development workshops
Team development programs
Executive development
Emerging leader programs
Succession planning
Culture and engagement initiatives
HR consulting and people strategy support
The goal is always to turn insight into useful action.
Recruitment and Selection
Emotional intelligence plays an important role in leadership success. For senior and leadership appointments, the EQ-i 2.0 can provide additional insight into how a candidate is likely to build relationships, influence others, manage pressure and lead teams.
Used alongside interviews, reference checks and other selection methods, the EQ-i 2.0 can help identify strengths, potential risks and areas for further exploration during the recruitment process.
Amplify HR provides assessment administration, professional interpretation and feedback to support informed hiring decisions.
Using EQ-i 2.0 in leadership development workshops
EQ-i 2.0 can be a powerful foundation for leadership development workshops because it gives participants personal insight they can immediately apply.
Rather than talking about leadership in general terms, participants can explore their own emotional intelligence profile and consider how it influences their leadership style.
A workshop may explore:
What emotional intelligence is and why it matters
How emotional intelligence affects leadership behaviour
How leaders respond under pressure
How emotions influence decision making
How leaders build trust and connection
How to balance assertiveness with empathy
How to lead through change and uncertainty
How to create a practical personal development plan
This makes the learning more relevant, because each participant is working with their own results and real workplace situations.
For small and medium sized businesses, this can be a practical way to strengthen leadership capability without creating a complicated program.
What happens during the assessment process?
The process is simple and confidential.
1. We start with a conversation
We discuss your goals and what you want to achieve. This helps us decide whether EQ-i 2.0, EQ360 or another approach is the best fit.
2. Participants complete the assessment online
Participants receive a link to complete the assessment online. It is straightforward to complete and is usually done before the debrief or workshop.
3. A confidential report is generated
Each participant receives a personal report outlining their emotional intelligence profile, strengths, development areas and strategies for action.
The EQ-i 2.0 report helps leaders understand their emotional intelligence strengths, development areas and practical next steps.
4. We facilitate a debrief
A certified practitioner facilitates a debrief to help the participant understand their results, explore what the insights mean and identify practical next steps.
5. We create a development plan
The participant identifies key areas to focus on and turns the insights into practical actions they can apply at work.
6. We support ongoing development if needed
Depending on your goals, we can support the next step through coaching, team workshops, leadership development programs or broader HR consulting.
Are the results confidential?
Yes.
Individual EQ-i 2.0 and EQ360 results are confidential. Participants are not required to share their personal results with others.
If EQ-i 2.0 is being used in a team or workshop setting, individual privacy is respected. Group themes may be discussed where appropriate, but personal reports remain private.
This is important because people need to feel safe to reflect honestly and use the results for genuine development.
Can emotional intelligence be developed?
Yes. Emotional intelligence can be developed with awareness, feedback, practice and support.
The EQ-i 2.0 assessment helps identify which areas to focus on first. This makes development more targeted and practical.
For example, one leader may need to focus on empathy and listening, while another may need to build assertiveness or stress tolerance.
The report helps move beyond general advice and gives each person a clearer starting point.
Is EQ-i 2.0 useful for small businesses?
Yes. EQ-i 2.0 can be especially useful for small and medium sized businesses because leadership behaviour has a direct impact on culture, performance and retention.
In a smaller business, people often work closely together. This means communication, trust, decision making and conflict management can have a big influence on the day to day experience of employees.
EQ-i 2.0 can help small business leaders better understand their own leadership style and how it affects others.
It can also support growing businesses that are building a management team, developing future leaders or trying to create a more consistent leadership approach.
When should a business consider EQ-i 2.0 or EQ360?
You may want to consider an emotional intelligence assessment if:
Your managers are technically capable but need stronger people leadership skills
Your leadership team is navigating growth or change
There are communication issues across the team
You want to support emerging leaders
You are investing in leadership development workshops
You want to strengthen coaching, trust and collaboration
You are preparing leaders for more senior roles
You want a practical tool to support individual development planning
The assessment can be used on its own, but it is often most effective when combined with coaching, workshops or a broader people strategy.
Why work with Amplify HR?
Amplify HR works with small and medium sized businesses to help them find, grow and keep great people.
We understand that leadership development needs to be practical. Most businesses do not need complicated theory. They need leaders who can communicate well, support their teams, make good decisions and build a workplace where people want to stay.
Our approach is warm, practical and tailored to your business.
We can help you:
Choose the right assessment tool
Set up the process
Facilitate confidential debriefs
Design leadership development workshops
Support individual leaders with coaching
Connect emotional intelligence insights to broader HR and people priorities
EQ-i 2.0 and EQ360 are useful tools, but the real value comes from how the insights are applied.
That is where Amplify HR can help.
Ready to build more emotionally intelligent leaders?
If you want to strengthen leadership capability, improve communication or support your team through growth and change, EQ-i 2.0 and EQ360 can provide practical insight.
Amplify HR can help you choose the right assessment, facilitate the debriefs and turn the results into meaningful development.
Book a free discovery call today!
Karen Kirton, Director of Amplify HR, is a certified practitioner of EQ-i 2.0® and EQ-360®
Frequently asked questions
What is the EQ-i 2.0 assessment?
The EQ-i 2.0 is an emotional intelligence assessment that measures emotional and social functioning. It helps individuals understand how they perceive themselves, express themselves, relate to others, make decisions and manage stress.
What is EQ360?
EQ360 includes feedback from others, such as managers, peers and direct reports. It helps leaders compare how they see themselves with how others experience their behaviour at work.
How long does the assessment take?
The online assessment usually takes around 30 to 40 minutes to complete. The results are then explored in a facilitated debrief.
Is emotional intelligence the same as personality?
No. Emotional intelligence is different from personality. It focuses on emotional and social skills that can influence how people behave, communicate, make decisions and respond to challenges.
Can emotional intelligence be improved?
Yes. Emotional intelligence can be developed through self awareness, feedback, coaching and consistent practice.
Is EQ-i 2.0 only for senior leaders?
No. EQ-i 2.0 can be used with senior leaders, managers, emerging leaders and individual contributors. It is especially useful for people who need to work effectively with others.
When should we use EQ360 instead of EQ-i 2.0?
EQ360 is useful when feedback from others would add value. This is often helpful for senior leaders, managers and people in roles where their leadership impact is important.
Can EQ-i 2.0 be used in a team workshop?
Yes. EQ-i 2.0 can be used as part of a leadership or team development workshop. Individual results remain confidential, while participants explore emotional intelligence concepts and practical leadership behaviours.
Is this suitable for small businesses?
Yes. EQ-i 2.0 can be very useful for small and medium sized businesses that want to develop stronger leaders, improve communication and support a healthier workplace culture.
What happens after the assessment?
After the assessment, participants receive a report and take part in a facilitated debrief. From there, they can create a practical development plan. Amplify HR can also support follow up coaching, workshops or broader leadership development.
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How much does EQ-i 2.0 or EQ360 cost?
The cost of EQ-i 2.0 and EQ360 depends on the type of assessment, the number of participants and the level of support required.
As a guide, pricing may include:
- The online EQ-i 2.0 or EQ360 assessment, costs start from $190 AUD
- A confidential individual report
- A one on one debrief with a certified practitioner
- A personal development plan
- Optional leadership coaching or team workshop facilitation
For teams or leadership groups, we can provide a tailored proposal based on the number of participants and the outcomes you want to achieve.
The best way to understand the right option for your business is to book a short discovery call. We can talk through your goals, explain the process and recommend the most suitable approach.
Page originally created July 2017. Last updated May 2026.
