The job of the leader often consists of telling some people to get moving and others to slow down.
The "get moving" part is obvious and receives much attention. The "slow down" part is equally or more important but is usually neglected. The savvy leader knows when it is time to damp the fires and calm down the team.
Certain events can cause emotions to flare and, if fanned, those emotions can lead to irrational and counterproductive acts. The leader has to restrain the group's emotions before they slip the reins. This can be difficult if directly confronted so the leader is well advised to shift the focus to an activity that will permit passions to cool. Only then should the topic be readdressed.
In essence, the leader is both the House and the Senate; at once, close to the followers and able to understand their immediate concerns and yet also possessing the ability to step back and consider larger responsibilities.
The leader who only focuses on movement can easily become the captive of emotions more associated with a mob than with a team.
3 comments:
Very insightful post! Great suggestion on how to cool emotions. I would add that it's important to at least try and understand why emotions flared in the first place. Sometimes the reasons are obvious, and sometimes they are private and personal, related to each individual's experience. Understanding the why can help the leader be patient and adjust his/her rationale accordingly when the topic is readdressed.
Hayli,
Good points. Understanding the "why" can be very helpful and sometimes the reasons aren't obvious. It may be very difficult to sort them out until the emotions are cooled.
Good leaders can help put things in perspective for those that lose sight of the bigger picture. I'm starting to realize that wisdom and perspective are more valuable leadership qualities than raw intelligence.
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