Why Feelings at Work Matter More Than Some Leaders Think
‘So, how is everyone feeling?’ is an invitation to reflect on what’s happening for you. Not just the actions, the spreadsheets, the facts, but also, how your inner engine is rolling.
Now…there’s often a person in the room who is thinking:
‘Not feelings again!! How is that relevant?!’
The relevance, of course, is in the nature of working with people. The science goes that humans, like all animals, feel: we go through the day feeling all sorts of things, and…feelings impact our behaviour. Our behaviour at work.
But for the very analytical person, that is irrelevant. They’re not looking for a personal connection over feelings. They simply don’t need that; they want to move on, make decisions, keep things moving.
Why Analytical Leaders Sometimes Miss the Emotional Signals
It’s important to identify that in your team, and even more importantly, to identify if you, perhaps, have an analytical mind yourself.
(Be honest – this is not a trick question, it’s very useful to know if you have).
Because if you do possess an analytical mind, and you carry on as if no one needs that acknowledgement of feelings, well, things can easily get difficult in a team.
If feelings shape how people behave at work, then we, as leaders, can’t ignore them. In fact, we shape them every day, intentionally or not.
Making people feel a certain way is an important part of leadership. Not just because it makes for a nicer, more open work environment (although that too), but because it builds a stronger culture, and better connection, and because all of these things together are… well, good for business. They help create a sense of purpose and are the ‘secret’ alchemy of effectiveness, efficiency and meaningful work.
A Simple Leadership Exercise to Build Stronger Team Connection
I want to leave you with a 5-minute exercise that I often do when I work with teams in person.
Here goes:
Think about someone who has inspired you.
Got it? Now think about how they made you feel, and write down all the words.
That’s some list! Now, your homework, should you choose to accept it, is this: for the next day, week, month, year, think about how you can make your team, the people you work with, feel these very same things.
And go ahead and tell me what goes through your mind when you do this exercise? No wrong answer at all, even if it’s an immediate ‘yes, but…’. Talking about this is what leadership is made of, truly.
All good things,
Juliet Robinson
Leadership and Change Specialist
PS: And by the way, difficult conversations are one of the moments where leaders most strongly shape how people feel. If faced with one yourself, you have trouble managing your own emotional reactions, let alone leading the way through it, this masterclass might be really useful for you. I show you my tried-and-tested ways and reframes to approach them with a plan, with calm, and with confidence. You can snap up the Difficult Conversations Masterclass here.
