The EQ Movement - Webinar Series

Join The EQ Movement, our live webinar series, to learn valuable EQ skills and insights, discuss current workplace trends, and share best practices with industry experts, thought leaders and experienced learning and development trainers.

Leading Through Friction

Leading Through Friction: The EQ Skills Great Leaders Need

9:00 am PST/12:00 pm EST
May 28, 2026

Friction is a natural part of leadership—showing up in hard conversations, team tension, uncertainty, and change. But most leaders are taught to avoid or eliminate it.

What if friction isn’t the problem?

In this session, TalentSmartEQ’s Maggie Sass, PhD, and Ross Blankenship, PhD will share insights and a practical framework from their upcoming book, Friction, which serves as the foundation for our new program, Leading Through Friction.

Together, we’ll explore a new perspective: that friction is actually where leadership happens. We’ll unpack how emotional intelligence enables leaders to navigate the moments that matter most.

You’ll learn:

  • Why trying to eliminate friction can limit leadership effectiveness
  • How to recognize friction as a signal, not a barrier
  • The three types of friction leaders face: internal, interpersonal, and systemic
  • Practical EQ strategies to navigate tension, build trust, and lead through challenges

If you’re leading people, change, or performance in today’s environment, this session will help you turn friction into one of your most powerful leadership tools.

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