We've all been to conference sessions which provide information. We've all had data points shared and opinions delivered to us. The 2023 Women, Influence & Power in Law (WIPL) conference in New Orleans was nothing like that.

WIPL didn't present data, it just asked the right questions and the delegates delivered — big time. None more so than at the "fishbowl" session called "Emotional Intelligence: Does it Make Women Better Leaders?"

Leading up to WIPL, we ran a mini-series on EQ (emotional intelligence), touching upon some of the many issues. We asked what women have to do to be taken seriously, and does EQ have more power in law firms or in-house? Finally, given how EQ and Lean are so closely linked, not least by active listening, understanding expectations and collaborative planning, we asked if these skills are disruptive or directional?