Bridging Two Proven Models: Birkman and Goleman
I’ve watched it happen hundreds of times in workshops — that “ah-ha” moment when a leader finally sees the connection between what they believe about how they lead and how others experience their leadership.
It’s almost always right there in the Birkman data.
A leader’s Usual Style might say “calm, confident, composed.” But their Needs often reveal something deeper — a quiet longing for reassurance or relational connection. That gap between who we are on the outside and what people see and experience versus what we are feeling inside and how that feeling can manifest as stress behavior is where emotional intelligence really begins.
That’s why I’ve always said The Birkman Method doesn’t just measure behavior — it illuminates the human side of leadership.
And it does so in a way that mirrors what Daniel Goleman described in his model of Social and Emotional Intelligence.
When you look closely, these two frameworks aren’t just compatible — they’re interwoven.
In fact, I believe that there is no other assessment that can so precisely predict or infer a person’s capacity for emotional and social intelligence like the Birkman Method assessment.
Let’s explore why.
The Four Domains of Emotional and Social Intelligence
Goleman’s model breaks emotional intelligence into four interconnected domains:
- 🧠 Self-Awareness — Recognizing your emotions, triggers, and values.
- ⚙️ Self-Management — Regulating emotions to remain flexible and effective.
- 👥 Social Awareness — Reading others’ feelings and perspectives accurately.
- 🤝 Relationship Management — Building trust and leading through authentic connection.
Each of these domains depends on understanding both your internal wiring (needs) and your external behavior (usual style and stress behaviors)— exactly what The Birkman Method measures.
How Birkman Maps to Goleman’s Four Domains
1. Self-Awareness → Usual Behavior and Needs
Birkman’s combination of Usual Style and Needs captures the essence of self-awareness.
- Usual Style shows how we behave when we’re at our best.
- Needs uncover what we require from others or our environment to stay at our best.
That space between how we appear and what we need is the foundation of emotional intelligence. Our needs are hidden from others and in some cases, even from the leaders themselves!
I once coached a leader whose Birkman showed a calm, analytical style but a high Need for an outlet for his emotional energy that no one knew about. Outwardly, he seemed unflappable. Internally, he was often frustrated by not having that outlet or being willing to express for fear of judgment. Once he understood that pattern, he could talk about his needs openly — and that honesty became the first step toward authentic leadership.
💡 That moment of awareness is emotional intelligence in motion.
2. Self-Management → Stress Behavior and Birkman Components
Where Goleman talks about regulating emotions, Birkman gives us the data to see when and why that regulation breaks down.
Stress Behaviors pinpoint the exact moment a leader moves from effectiveness to reactivity — when unmet needs or overused strengths push them beyond their threshold.
Birkman quantifies many dimensions of how a person relates, makes decisions, expresses (or not!) emotional energy, how much variety we need in our day-to-day activities, and many other dimensions of a person’s leadership profile. We have accurate information with which to understand at a deeper level what creates stress for us and a road map for managing that stress – the essence of self-management.
When a leader understands their energy profile, they stop judging themselves for being “too much” or “not enough” and start managing themselves with intention.
3. Social Awareness → Interests and Interpersonal Components
Social awareness is the ability to read the room — to sense what others need and value.
One of the Birkman’s Interest Scores and several of the interpersonal components Birkman produces can reveal how a leader can or will tune into others’ emotions. It suggests that a leader may either be more logical and objective or willing to express their own emotions and be more accepting of the emotional energy of others. Neither spectrum is good or bad, but think about the ramifications if we can accurately identify this information explicitly. We can!
Some leaders connect easily at a relational level; others lead through cognitive empathy — understanding people through context or logic. Both can be powerful when used with awareness. And, we can accurately predict which domain a leader will naturally align with.
💬 Birkman gives language to those differences, allowing leaders to adapt without losing authenticity.
4. Relationship Management
The final domain — how we build trust, resolve conflict, and influence others — is where Birkman becomes a true predictor of the relational dynamics a leader brings forth in their day-to-day leadership style. As a leader, am I more democratic or do I lead from the front with vigor? Does a leader address conflict easily, or do they shy away from conflict until it’s unavoidable? Do I value being direct, frank, and open in communications and want that from others, or would I rather have you deliver information with discernment for my feelings? The Birkman data provides either direct information or can be inferred so that we have a keen idea of how a leader relates to others and likes to be led, builds trust, and creates connections and bonds.
When leaders learn to flex these dimensions, they move from control to connection — the essence of relational intelligence.
Why No Other Assessment Comes Close
Most assessments — Myers-Briggs, DISC, StrengthsFinder — capture traits or preferences. They tell you who you are but not why you act, what you need, or when things start to unravel under stress.
The Birkman Method stands alone because it:
- Quantifies both internal needs and external behaviors.
- Connects motivational drives (Interests) to social functioning.
- Predicts stress patterns — the earliest signals of emotional overload.
- Integrates thought and energy dynamics that shape executive decision-making.
Where Goleman provides the theory, Birkman provides accurate information about a leader that produces clarity.
It turns emotional intelligence from something abstract into something actionable.
Turning Insight Into Impact
For executive coaches, HR professionals, and leaders, combining Birkman and Goleman offers a complete roadmap for development:
- Awareness: Recognize your patterns and the needs that drive them.
- Regulation: Spot early stress indicators and recover quickly.
- Empathy: Understand how others’ needs shape their communication.
- Influence: Adapt your leadership to build trust and psychological safety.
When leaders see both themselves and others through this dual lens, they begin to lead by design — not by default.
The Bottom Line
Emotional and social intelligence can’t be developed through theory alone. It’s built through awareness — by seeing the unseen needs and motivations that drive human behavior.
That’s exactly what The Birkman Method does. It reveals the human data behind leadership — how we’re wired to think, decide, and connect.
When leaders understand both who they are, what they need to be their best, and what others need, leadership becomes deeply personal and powerfully personalized.
And that’s not just emotional intelligence — that’s UnCommon Leadership for the New Reality.
Onward & Upward!
Ed Chaffin, PCC
Founder & CEO, The UnCommon Leadership Institute
- If you like to know more about the power and purpose of the Birkman Method assessment, please contact me at ed@edchaffin.com.
🔗 Read more insights on UnCommon Leadership at www.edchaffin.com/uncommon-leadership
