In a context where transformations are multiplying (technological innovations, labor shortages, increasing customer demands), Quebec SMEs have no choice but to adapt. Yet many initiatives fail—not for lack of ideas or solutions—but because one essential thing is forgotten: the human factor. And this is where a key skill comes into play, often overlooked but essential: relational intelligence.
The Human Factor: Driver or Barrier to Change?
Let’s take a real example. A manufacturing SME invests heavily in a new project management system. The goal: automate, improve efficiency, and better serve its clients. Six months later, the results are disappointing—low adoption, team tensions, high turnover. Why? Because people didn’t feel heard, involved, or equipped to navigate this transformation.
This case is far from isolated. 85 % of professional failures are said to be linked to relational difficulties (Harvard Business Review). And in a world where artificial intelligence is advancing at full speed, what remains profoundly human—feeling, understanding, inspiring, connecting—becomes more strategic than ever.
The good news? Relational intelligence can be developed. And it changes everything!
Relational Intelligence: An Overlooked Lever for Success.
Relational intelligence is the ability to know yourself, understand others, and interact with accuracy, presence, courage, and agility according to the context.
Specifically, it enables the leader to:
- Identify their own triggers;
- Recognize emotional reactions within the team;
- Recognize each person’s needs and concerns;
- Create a climate of trust and psychological safety;
- Adjust their communication style and implementation pace;
- Leverage each person’s strengths to navigate uncertainty.
In the context of change, these relational skills make it possible to:
- Prevent resistance rather than endure it;
- Rally rather than convince;
- Turn silences or tensions into dialogue and engagement.
And concretely, how does it help an SME?
Here are some practical questions an SME leader can ask themselves:
- How can I better understand human reactions to change?
- How can I adapt my leadership to different personalities?
- How can I turn uncertainty or tension into engagement?
These questions will be at the heart of the conference *“Succeeding in Change: How to Activate Relational Intelligence?”*, which will take place next November as part of Stratégies PME. Real-life examples, practical tools, and actionable insights will be offered to help navigate change more effectively.
Succeeding in change is not just about managing a project.
It’s about creating a space where everyone can contribute their talents with trust, courage, and clarity.
It’s about knowing how to rally, inspire, and engage people with accuracy and humanity.
By Julie Thériault
Academy Manager, Nova Global
