In sports field management, we understand stolons better than most. They stretch across the ground, finding new space, creating new growth, and influencing everything around them. Leadership works the same way. Every habit you model — your tone, your decisions, your reactions — moves through your team with that same reach. And that’s exactly why emotional intelligence matters more than most leaders realize.
Emotional intelligence or emotional quotient (EQ) is about being steady when everything around you is shifting. In a profession built on uncontrollable variables — weather patterns, event schedules, budget pressure, and demands from coaches or administrators — the crew takes emotional cues from the person in charge. EQ becomes the difference between a group that reacts and a team that responds.
When you look at EQ through real-time moments, its impact becomes obvious. A storm delay hits, the tournament director wants answers, half the plan has just changed, and your phone won’t stop buzzing. This is where emotional intelligence shows up. Self-
awareness stops your frustration from landing on someone who didn’t cause the problem. Self-management keeps you calm when the game schedule gets flipped for the third time. Social awareness helps you notice when a team member is shutting down instead of speaking up. Relationship management guides how you give direction when everyone else is spiraling.
Anybody can lead when the day is smooth. Emotional intelligence is leadership under pressure.
As EQ increases, the culture around you starts shifting almost automatically, because crew culture grows from the leader. You can’t “announce” a healthy culture — you create one through your daily behavior. When you “own” your mistakes, your team feels safe owning theirs. When you explain the “why,” people stop guessing and start engaging. When you correct respectfully instead of publicly embarrassing someone, loyalty grows. When you stay composed during chaos, the entire crew learns that pressure doesn’t get the final say.
And you will never build that through speeches alone. You build it through consistency. What you live becomes normal. What you praise becomes repeated. What you tolerate becomes culture. In sports field management, where the job doesn’t always allow for perfect conditions, you need a culture that bends without snapping — EQ is the foundation for that.
This matters even more in today’s workforce. We’re leading teams made up of different generations, backgrounds, and levels of experience. And although a lot of people blame “kids these days” or complain about changing expectations, the truth is that everyone performs better when communication is clear, respect is mutual, and the emotional thermostat is steady.
What makes EQ so valuable is that it’s a learnable skill that grows slowly, consistently, and with daily care. You see the impact clearly in high-pressure stories. Think of a multi-field soccer showcase weekend: rain dumps on the complex on Friday afternoon, coaches start panicking, parents are arriving in town, and the schedule is now a moving target. The sports field manager gathers the crew quickly, lays out clear roles, communicates updates to the stakeholders, and stays calm through every step. Because they stayed steady, the entire team followed their energy, games were saved, and fields recovered. That’s EQ in action.
And leadership doesn’t turn off when you clock out; it follows you. When you grow EQ at work, your home benefits. When you grow it at home, your crew benefits.
Improvement doesn’t have to be complicated. Start with small, daily shifts. Check your emotional temperature before you give instructions. If you are irritated, pause before responding. Acknowledge people’s feelings before giving direction. And at the end of each day, ask yourself if your behavior helped or hurt the culture.
EQ determines whether your crew grows stronger or just survives the season. In sports field management, where conditions change fast and expectations stay high, EQ becomes the competitive edge that outlasts weather, budgets, and even job titles. If you want a healthier culture, a tighter crew, and smoother seasons, start growing the stolon that affects everything else — your emotional intelligence.
Alpha Jones, CSFM, is athletic field specialist at Duke University. He is also president of the Sports Field Management Association. He can be reached via email at morthangrass@gmail.com