Emotional presence affects followers

The emotional presence of a leader has a wide-ranging impact on all business functions.

All functions of a business are relational. The salesperson and the customer relate in the sale. The engineer collaborates with his co-workers and his manager to build a product. We live and work in a web of relationships, and the emotional states of others effects us. This is because our emotional wiring, called the limbic system, is created as an ‘open-loop’ ((Goleman, pg. 6)). The emotions and actions of others can impact our emotional state as a result.

Of all relationships, that between a leader and his followers is the most influential. “Leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less” Maxwell wrote ((Maxwell, pg. 11)), and this means not only are the leader’s words able to influence; even the mood of the leader alters other’s emotional states. It follows therefore that a leader’s mood sets a tone for the entire organization. The salespeople are likely to have short tempers when the CEO regularly ‘flies off the handle’. The engineers will be pessimistic if the engineering manager regularly sees the glass half-empty.

Why do the leader’s emotions matter? Goleman writes, “more than anyone else, the boss creates the conditions that directly determine people’s ability to work well.” ((Goleman, pg. 18)).

Take for example a manager delivering the news his team must work late to complete a project.

The manager who sullenly blames others for their misfortune will demotivate his team and foster blame-shifting. His team may distrust his decisions and take even longer to accomplish the project under the negative mood. The project is more likely to suffer defects or have loose ends.

The manager who shapes the message to express the opportunity this project represents and his confidence in the team will motivate his team towards excellence. His team tackles the project together, motivated to finish well, and is likely to get it done faster.

Such is the impact a leader’s emotions can have upon his team’s effectiveness.

As I’ve read this chapter I’ve often thought of the mood of my workplace. Our CEO exhibits a passionate, straight-forward influence upon the company and embodies the core values in a contageous way. Interactions with him inspire and excite me to work hard and serve our customers well. Even so, the attitudes of others on our team makes a significant contribution.

“Saying, ‘good morning,’ [makes] the morning good” says Laura ((Wilder, pg. 35)), and I’ve found the people on our team who consistently express kindness, even a simple “good morning,” makes my work more enjoyable. This filters down to my interactions with clients, often supplying me more patience and a sense of comraderie I wouldn’t have were our team morose and ill-tempered.

In light of these things, I’d rather be a mood-enhancer than a mood-detractor. This week I want to pay attention to the general mood of the team and see if I can influence the mood with kind actions and positive words. I’m also concerned my tendency towards introspection may foster a loneliness in our team rather than the collaboration which makes our team great.

References