Logic + Emotion = Effective Leadership!
Commitment, passion, engagement, enthusiasm, determination. When employees exhibit these characteristics organizations are highly successful. This isn’t an accident. It takes effective leadership to create the kind of an environment in which these employees can thrive.
Take another look at those opening words, these are all aspects of our emotions. Daniel Goleman in his book “Primal Leadership” advances the notion that leadership actually works through the emotions. Assume that an organization has a dynamite strategy to really get fantastic results. No matter how brilliant the plan, if employees do not have an emotional connection it isn’t going to reach its potential.
Here is how I think it works. When our logical left brain is stimulated by the plan and then our more emotional right brain kicks in something almost magical occurs. People begin to make connections, see opportunities, develop ideas and most importantly act intentionally. They care about what happens, feel responsible and act accountably.
Effective leaders create environments that draw people into the process in a way that creates that emotional connection. One primary element of that environment is TRUST. People do not follow leaders they do not trust. Why? Simple, a lack of trust stimulates emotions such as suspicion, fear, apathy, distain etc. Do you know of any toxic environments such as this that produce great results? I don’t.
The Integro Leadership Institute (disclosure -I am an associate partner) has a primary focus of helping leaders learn to build trust. Contact me to talk about a proven trust building process.
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