The Elite Financial Advisor Podcast With Sten Morgan 223 Unlocking Emotional Intelligence for Leaders with Brad Stinson
Mar 6, 2026
Brad Stinson, an emotional intelligence and leadership consultant who moved from elite athletics and corporate leadership to human-centered coaching. He recounts how a panic attack shifted his path. They explore why leaders must admit emotional needs, the power of holding space instead of fixing, using emotional questions in advisor conversations, and programs that build lasting culture change.
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Panic Attack Sparked A Career Shift
- Brad Stinson had a panic attack at work in 2012 that led him to years of therapy and self-work.
- That event exposed unresolved trauma and motivated him to build a practice helping leaders integrate emotional health at work and home.
Emotional Skills Expand Performance Options
- High performers default to pushing through, which masks emotional needs until a breakdown occurs.
- Brad compares learning emotional skills to developing a non-dominant hand in basketball — it expands options under pressure.
Fixing Stops Connection
- Fixing problems can block connection because it ends the emotional encounter prematurely.
- Brad says true leadership is holding space so people can process rather than immediately solving for them.