ISF Podcast4 Helmi 2025

S32 Ep4: Sylvie de Giusto - The Power of Choice

In this episode, Steve sits down with author and leadership expert Sylvie di Giusto. Sylvie delineates five areas for everyone to consider in order to enhance their emotional intelligence. She and Steve also discuss how self-awareness and authenticity relate to situational awareness, and how improving in these areas can support career mobility.

Key Takeaways:

The subconscious takes up 95% of the brain – use that to your advantage to gain the trust of the people you interact with.
Situational awareness is more important than one-size-fits-all ideas of “always smiling” or “maintaining eye contact.
Your appearance, behavior, communication, digital footprint, and environment all matter for how people see you.

Tune in to hear more about:

How the meaning of emotional intelligence in business has changed over the years (01:48)
Sylvie di Giusto’s A.B.C.D.E. (Appearance, Behavior, Communication, Digital footprint, Environment) framework (07:50)
The four levels of visibility (20:05)

Standout Quotes:

“The subconscious mind of a human takes up 95% of your brain. And 95% of your brain is where emotions live, where feelings live, where your gut feelings live. And only 5% of our brain actually transmits data, facts, figures, information. That is where your contracts are, where your proposals are, where all the facts and figures are that you deliver to your clients. [...] So, I always say, why don't you use this to your advantage, that behavior, and actually use the 95% of the brain and instantly imprint that feeling of trust in them and use it to your advantage. And before they buy into your solution, into your technical solution, let them buy into you.” - Sylvie di Giusto
“You have to learn to read the moment, [...] and then adjust your behavior and make more intentional choices. I think one of the biggest challenges that we have nowadays, also driven by technology because we are constantly distracted by technology, is that we run on autopilot most of the day. Most of the day, we are so in our habits, in our patterns, that we do things, say things, that we are not even aware of, and they have a macro impact on our relationships. And we have to step back and sometimes turn that autopilot off, read the room, and be more intentional with the tools that we already have.” - Sylvie di Giusto
“I think that authenticity means that we all play a role, but different roles, and in those roles, we are true to ourselves. [...] And in all those roles, I promise you, I'm truly authentic. But if I would try to talk with my husband the way I talk with my clients, we wouldn't have made it to 23 years, I promise you. Or if I would treat my clients like I treat my children, or if I look at home like I would on stage, and vice versa. So, yes, we are all authentic in those roles, but I think we have to accept that you just do you, no matter the circumstances – which brings us back to situational awareness – I think it's a lie that this is possible.” - Sylvie di Giusto

Mentioned in this episode:

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