Why Emotional Intelligence Beats Burnout as the New Measure of Entrepreneurial Success in South Africa

It starts with emotional intelligence

It’s easy to assume that a CEO’s technical skills or financial acumen are the most important traits they bring to the organisation. For me, it’s the emotional intelligence that matters most - the ability to understand and manage your own emotions and influence the emotions of others.

I was raised in a house full of strong women (I have six sisters). They didn’t run businesses, but they certainly ran the house with a mix of fierce pragmatism and deep empathy. This upbringing forced me to listen, to observe nuances and to value relationships over transactions.

These soft skills are hard currency in business today. It allows you to read a room, navigate complex partnerships and, most importantly, lead a team with a genuine understanding. Your emotional landscape is your earliest indicator of business health, and if you can’t read it, you’re already flying blind.

Being teachable beats talent

You’re either naturally gifted or you’re not, right? Turns out it doesn’t matter. What matters more than any inherent talent is your capacity to keep learning. Talent fails when ego overtakes, when talent stops asking questions.

Being teachable is far more valuable than being talented.

Entrepreneurship is a relentless education. Every setback, every market shift, every product failure is a lesson, and one that demands more questions to be asked. A teachable spirit and ego can’t co-exist, and the former is what makes you receptive to constructive criticism, open to interrogating your failures and committed to learning.

Check your ego at the door. It’s better for the balance sheet and, more importantly, your own well-being.

The elusive formula

We all want to know what the “formula” for success is. I wish it were as simple as “Work hard and you will achieve success”.

But here’s the thing: even when you’re doing everything right, working hard, keeping your word, operating with integrity, trusting God, things can still fall apart. A global crisis hits. A dependable client goes bankrupt. A key hire leaves unexpectedly.

Control is an illusion, and the only real control is in your response to chaos. Success isn't about avoiding chaos or failure; it's about building the resilience to start again, smarter, the next morning.

The real win

For too long, and in certain circles, it still certainly applies, success was defined by the accumulation of wealth. And that this wealth comes together with burnout and a ruthless approach to both people and practice.

My most profound insight, garnered from years of succeeding and failing at various business undertakings, is that you can win in business and still be a solid, dependable human being.

Winning isn’t just revenue growth and big exits. It’s having time to spend with your family and sleeping well at night because you run an organisation that treats people with dignity.

I wish more people would talk about that kind of success. The wins that protect your peace of mind. And your humanity.