Emotional intelligence is paramount. 

Emotions are crucial for leaders at work because they influence how they communicate, make decisions, and inspire their teams

Leaders with high emotional intelligence (EQ) understand and manage their own emotions while being attuned to others’. This ability allows them to respond appropriately to different situations, fostering trust and collaboration. Emotionally intelligent leaders can de-escalate conflicts, offer support, and guide teams through change.

At Mantle, we emphasise the importance of understanding your emotional triggers to navigate complex leadership challenges effectively. This blog introduces a practical approach to cultivating emotional awareness through a simple exercise designed to pinpoint emotional triggers and improve response mechanisms in stressful situations.

Leadership requires clear thinking, especially under stress. Our brain operates using two main systems that influence our reactions: the pre-frontal cortex and the limbic system. The pre-frontal cortex, responsible for rational thinking, manages executive functions such as perseverance, focus, and regulation of overwhelming emotions. 

In contrast, the limbic system triggers the instinctive “fight, flight, or freeze” response, overwhelming the pre-frontal cortex with stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, which can cloud judgement and decision-making.

The Traffic Light Framework for Emotional Awareness

To help leaders understand and manage their emotional responses, here is some distilled complex neuroscience made into an accessible “traffic light” framework:

• Red Brain (Limbic System): When your amygdala triggers a fight, flight, or freeze response, it floods your pre-frontal cortex with cortisol, shutting down rational processes and clouding clear thinking.
• Orange Brain (Transition State): In this state, your emotional control begins to slip, although you’re still functioning unless further stressed. Here, focus might turn inwards rather than on broader team dynamics or goals.
• Green Brain (Pre-frontal Cortex): This state represents optimal functioning where well-reasoned decisions are made, flexibility is maintained, and sensitivity to others’ situations is heightened.

Understanding these states can help leaders identify when they are losing their cognitive flexibility, which is often most critical during high-pressure situations.

Practical Exercise for Leaders

To integrate this knowledge into practical leadership skills, we propose a quick exercise to evaluate and enhance your emotional awareness:

1. Reflect on the Red, Orange, and Green Brain States: What insights arise when you consider these descriptions?
2. Identify Triggers: What scenarios or situations typically shift your brain into red or orange states?
3. Assess Impact: How does your emotional state affect your team and the people around you?
4. Plan Changes: What can you do differently to maintain a green brain state?
5. Take a Small Step: Decide on a minor change you can implement tomorrow to enhance your emotional regulation.

The thing to practice is to understand in any moment where our emotional level is. Get used to checking in with yourself. Are emotions at play and are they helping or not? Catching our emotional state early gives us more options.Its easier to come back from orange rather than red. 

Another useful technique is to reframe the situation a little differently and engage your curiosity. Get used to being more purposeful and ask yourself the question “What do I want to achieve in this situation and how do I need to be to increase my chances of achieving that?”

Recognising and adjusting your emotional states is crucial for purposeful leadership. It not only affects how you lead but also impacts your team’s dynamics and overall effectiveness. Leaders who master their emotional landscapes can foster environments that promote better decision-making, creativity, and resilience.

At Mantle, while we provide the foundations with exercises like these, our comprehensive leadership programs are designed to delve deeper. These programs equip leaders with the tools to not only recognise but also harness their emotional intelligence for effective leadership.

If you’re looking to enhance your leadership capabilities or need guidance on emotional awareness, don’t hesitate to reach out for a consultation. Let us help you transform your leadership approach and achieve your full potential. 

Contact us today and take the first step towards becoming a more emotionally aware leader.