“Leave your emotions at the door.”

How often have you heard this as a team leader? Be honest 🙂

I know I’ve heard it too many times to count. Keeping powerful emotions at bay was always regarded as the “professional” thing to do if you wanted to earn the respect of your team.

Today, I’d like to propose a different approach. 

As a team leader, lead from the HEART.

Develop the ability to deeply connect with yourself. When an emotion hits during a crisis moment, try to:

➡️ Take a deep breath

➡️ Assess what you are feeling

➡️ Name your emotion out loud

 This can help bring so much clarity to the moment. This also means you are deeply paying attention to your thinking, knowing that your thoughts shape your reality.

Emotionally Intelligent leaders are exceptional leaders! I can’t tell you how much power these leaders hold.

They are deeply aware of their own emotional state, and are able to decipher and navigate their feelings (and those of others) to influence desired outcomes!

The Power of Authentic Connection in a Team

When a leader is emotionally aware, they are able to recognize and manage emotions in others.

Employees feel seen, heard, and RESPECTED, and we then begin to see a positive shift in the way they show up to work. They feel safe and comfortable to perform at their best.

The result? The connection between each individual becomes so much more authentic, and, YES, the team flourishes!

So just what is Authentic Connection?

I love exploring this topic because it’s the heart and soul of what I do here at Heartfelt Workforce. In fact, it’s even more relevant now given our hybrid workforces and how often we can feel isolated and disconnected from our team.

Here’s what I think of:

✨Psychological safety – Team members feel safe and encouraged to perform without fear of reprimand or humiliation as diversity of opinion is deeply respected

✨The team leader is available to their team, encouraging each person to seek out and provide guidance and feedback to create a dynamic and engaged workspace

✨Vulnerability is modeled by the leader to provide a space for the team to express their emotions honestly, and display empathy in every interaction

✨Leaders and teams learn how to communicate with the integration of the head and the heart to remove emotional outbursts and disconnects, and align the team to perform as a single unit

If you and your team could use some guidance to strengthen Connection, Communication, and Productivity, my Conscious Team Connection™ Training is a wonderful place to start.