Azeem Saheer’s journey began in banking, where structure and discipline shaped his early career but also revealed his deeper calling: developing people rather than managing systems. Shaped by early adversity and guided by curiosity, he shifted toward emotional intelligence, grounding his work in science and practice.
Today, through emotional intelligence, Lego Serious Play, and ‘Ei Café,’ Azeem challenges Sri Lankan leaders and organisations to treat emotions not as a soft skill, but as the foundation of human behaviour and leadership.
You began your career in banking. What made you realise your path wasn’t in finance?
Banking was a good start for me. It taught me discipline, structure, and how the world works. But I slowly began to feel that the routines were limiting the kind of impact I wanted to make.
Everything shifted the first time I was asked to train others at work. I saw people learning, growing, and becoming more confident. That experience felt more meaningful than anything else I had done. That was when I knew my real path was in helping people, not managing transactions.
What did your difficult early years teach you about emotions and courage?
Those years shaped me. Growing up without a home of our own, not being able to study when I wanted to, and moving abroad to support my family came with uncertainty and a lot of pressure. I did not always know how to name what I felt back then, but now I can look back and understand it.
I felt fear, hope, frustration, and ambition. The biggest lesson I learnt was that curiosity keeps you moving forward. Even when things did not go well, something inside me kept saying not to stop. That simple curiosity eventually became the courage to change my life.
What made you choose emotional intelligence as your focus after returning to Sri Lanka?
When I came back, I was starting almost from zero. I spent more than a year reading, experimenting, and trying to understand myself better. That was when emotional intelligence entered my life. At first, it was something I practiced personally. Then I began to see how much it was missing around us in workplaces, in leadership, in families, and in schools.
I wanted a solid, science-based foundation, which led me to Genos. Becoming the first certified practitioner in Sri Lanka was not the goal. It simply happened along the way. Today I see emotional intelligence as the base layer of everything we do as humans.
What have you noticed about emotions across different cultures?
People express emotions differently depending on their culture, because people are the culture, but the main struggle is the same everywhere. In Sri Lanka, people tend to be more reserved. In the Middle East, many cultures work together, each with its own style.
But in all these places, people still find it hard to talk about what they really feel. It is not that they lack emotions. It is that workplaces underestimate the role emotional awareness plays in performance and teamwork.
What was it like bringing Lego Serious Play into corporate spaces?
At first, many people were unsure. They wondered how Lego could belong in a boardroom. I ran small teaser sessions to help them try it, and once they did, everything changed.
Building with your hands helps you express ideas and emotions you may not say out loud. It creates psychological safety, encourages creativity, and strengthens collaboration. It may look like play, but it is actually a structured and powerful method for thinking and connecting.
Can you share a moment when the Emotional Culture Deck changed the atmosphere in a room?
One session I remember clearly was with a leadership team at a major tech company. They were struggling with silos and miscommunication. When we used the Emotional Culture Deck, we started by asking each leader what success felt like. As we built the emotional blueprint, they realised how their behaviours were affecting each other.
At one point, a leader said that they did not really know themselves or the people around them. That level of honesty changed the whole room. Empathy came in, and the conversations that followed were much more real.
Why did you start ‘Ei Café’ and which episode changed you the most?
‘Ei Café’ began during Covid when everything slowed down. Workshops were paused and I did not want to stop learning. A podcast felt like a natural step. I learnt the basics, reached out to people, and began recording conversations.
It is hard to choose one episode that changed me the most. Speaking with people like Dr. Richard Boyatzis, Carol Kauffman, Dr. Haesun Moon, and Dr. Joshua Freedman gave me new insights each time. Every guest taught me something valuable.
When you speak, coach, or train, what message stays the same?
The core message is always the same. Emotions drive behaviour, and behaviour drives results. If we do not understand what we feel, it affects our decisions, our relationships, and our performance. Emotional intelligence is not a soft skill. It is the foundation of how we function as human beings.
What should young Sri Lankans understand about emotional intelligence that previous generations did not?
Previous generations understood emotional intelligence in their own way. My father used to say not to make decisions when you are angry or too happy. At the time it felt like simple advice. Now I know it is emotional regulation.
Young people today grow up in a world of constant change and digital noise. They have potential and creativity, but they need awareness and emotional maturity. As Artificial Intelligence (AI) takes over many thinking tasks, human skills like empathy and connection become even more important. Emotional intelligence should not be optional in schools. It should be part of the foundation.
What do you hope to be able to tell your grandchildren about your contributions?
I hope I can say that I helped start conversations that mattered. That I worked with leaders, teachers, and communities to understand emotions in a healthier way. I hope I can say I helped create spaces where children could express themselves, where teams worked with empathy, and where families communicated with curiosity.
I do not want to say I changed the whole country. I want to say I walked with people and helped make things better. Most of all, I want to say that I helped remind Sri Lanka that being human is something to cultivate.
How does emotional intelligence fit into the Sri Lankan cultural mindset?
Sri Lankans are naturally warm and caring. When something goes wrong, the whole country responds. You see emotional and social awareness everywhere during a crisis.
But many people stay silent about their own struggles because they fear judgement. That silence can turn into stress or loneliness. Emotional intelligence does not ask us to change who we are. It helps us express what we already feel in healthier ways. It strengthens our natural compassion.
What small steps can help Sri Lankans become more emotionally open?
We do not need to change who we are. We simply need to open up a little more. Start by noticing your emotions. Pause before reacting. Listen with curiosity. Use simple and kind language when expressing how you feel.
Families can make space for honest conversations. Leaders can practice empathy. Children can learn that naming feelings is a sign of strength. If we do these small things consistently, we will grow without losing our cultural identity.
How can someone begin their emotional intelligence journey?
Emotional intelligence already exists within us. It is not something you get into; It is something you uncover.
Start by noticing what you feel and naming it without judging yourself. Pause before reacting. Pay attention to others. Ask questions instead of assuming. Practice empathy and clear communication in small moments. Over time this builds emotional strength. With so many resources available today such as videos, talks, and books, anyone can begin at their own pace.
PHOTOS © AMMAR AHAMED