Straits Times Forum: Mandate Emotional Intelligence Training for Legal Supervisors

A forum piece published in Singapore's Straits Times this week argued for mandatory mental wellbeing and emotional intelligence training for supervisors at every organizational level — including law firms — with the core argument that promotion to management should require demonstrated empathy and psychological safety skills, not just technical or seniority credentials. The piece directly links supervisory quality to team psychological safety, citing that "true leadership lifts people up." For law firms, this argument carries particular force because the direct supervisor relationship — typically a partner or senior associate — is the primary determinant of a junior lawyer's daily experience. Firms that invest in partner-level emotional intelligence development and make it a factor in leadership progression are increasingly distinguishing themselves in talent markets where early attrition is a known problem.