Session Overview

Project leaders rarely have the luxury of leading through authority. They must align stakeholders, navigate competing priorities, resolve conflict, influence decisions, and motivate teams, often without having direct control over the people involved.

So what makes some project leaders more influential than others? Emotional Intelligence is one of the foundations of influence.

In this practical and interactive session, we will explore how self awareness, emotional regulation, empathy, and social awareness shape a leader's ability to build trust, navigate difficult conversations, influence stakeholders, and create alignment.

Participants will discover that influence is not about having the loudest voice, the strongest title, or the most authority. It is about understanding yourself, understanding others, and intentionally choosing behaviors that move people toward a shared outcome.

Key Takeaways

• Recognize the emotional dynamics that influence project decisions and stakeholder relationships.
• Strengthen self awareness and emotional regulation in high pressure situations.
• Use empathy and social awareness to understand different stakeholder perspectives.
• Build trust and credibility without relying on positional authority.
• Adapt your leadership approach to different people, situations, and levels of resistance.
• Navigate difficult conversations without escalating tension.
• Turn Emotional Intelligence into practical influence that creates alignment and drives results.

Who Should Attend

Project, program, and portfolio managers, PMO leaders, project and program sponsors, product leaders, Scrum Masters and agile leaders, functional and people leaders, and any professional who needs to influence stakeholders without direct authority. The session is especially relevant for those leading cross functional, matrixed, complex, or transformation initiatives.

About the Speaker

Kamal Soan is an ICF certified Executive and Leadership Coach, Speaker, and Senior Director of Enterprise PMO and Portfolio Governance in Capital Markets at FIS, with more than 19 years of experience leading technology, transformation, portfolio governance, and complex cross functional initiatives.

As the founder of Soan 2 Success, Kamal coaches IT executives and leaders to navigate leadership challenges, build influence, and accelerate their professional growth. He has coached more than 100 professionals and brings over 500 hours of coaching experience across leadership, career, and personal development.

Kamal holds the ICF ACC credential and is also certified in Emotional Intelligence and Positive Intelligence, along with PMP, PgMP, Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, and Distinguished Toastmaster credentials. He has been actively involved with PMI for more than a decade, including leadership and volunteer roles, and has spoken to PMI audiences on leadership, purpose, and the human side of project and technology leadership.

Event Details

Friday, October 23, 2026
5:30 PM to 6:30 PM PT
Zoom (Virtual)
1 PDU (Power Skills)

Leadership is not about the authority you have. It is about the influence you create.