Leaders who radiate positive energy attract followers
It’s well known that leaders and in fact anyone who radiates a positive energy is likely to attract those who want to be around them and will be more successful in leadership roles. Apparently, Herb Kelleher who founded successful Southwest Airlines knew how to attract people consistently. Daniel Goleman in an interview with Diane Coutu, says that when they watched videos of Herb walking down a corridor people literally lit up as they passed him.
It seems it is all about attitude. Herb Kelleher genuinely listened to people and received what they told him positively and with care. He was an extremely positive man.
Do you light up others, simply by your presence?
Obviously, when we feel happy and everything is going well it’s easy to radiate positivity, but sometimes this is not the case. Certain situations knock us off course and it can be difficult to find our way back.
When you feel weighed down by responsibility and the pressure of a deadline, it is more tricky to be fully present. Stress and strong emotions can impact our judgement about the decisions we make and the way we relate to others too!
Our emotions are like fuel, they can overwhelm us – light us up and damp us down. It seems that it is our thinking that triggers an emotional response.
When the emotional body is regulated, there is clear space for the highest form of executive functioning which makes it possible for us to choose the mindsets we want to embrace.
Tips to help with emotional regulation
- Catch yourself – know you have been triggered by noticing your strong reaction to an experience!
- Focus your attention on the sensations and feelings in your body. It may be useful to name the feelings. This acknowledgement helps to modulate the emotional state and frees up our capacity to think.
- Breathe deeply – this helps too and so does going for a walk or moving your arms and legs. Strong emotional energy can get jammed in the body like a dam. Tension can be released through a soft flow of integrated movement.
You may like to try this walking meditation
Meditation (and mindful awareness practices) can support us in building the muscle for equanimity – to notice and to STOP before reacting.
When you adopt a mindful practice every day for just 3 weeks, new habits can form quickly. It’s highly likely you will experience a different response to situations that you would normally find overwhelming.
Being able to STOP
S – Stop
T – Take a breath
O – Observe what’s going on
P – Proceed
When you are emotionally triggered and feeling stressed STOP. This practice can give you confidence and peace to modulate and navigate your internal landscape.
To help you to walk the talk (integrating thoughts, feelings and actions with my values) – You may like to ask yourself!
Is it true what I am saying to myself about this situation right now?
What’s important to me about this situation?
Why is it important to me?
What do I want and what will this give me?
How might I communicate /have a conversation about this?
What’s my intention right now?
Will I discuss this with others?
Is it helpful, wise, necessary, for me to speak about this, now – at all?
What am I inviting/provoking/contributing?
A regular practice focussed on expanding heartfelt awareness and aligning your conscious intention with deeds and words can be energising in a nourishing way. Research indicates that compassionate practices create an energy field that radiates the energy from our own hearts to those around us. We feel happy when we truly reflect how we choose to BE.
A short seated mindful practice
When you are congruent with what you want to contribute and how you want to live; authenticity shows up and radiates an energy that is tangible for others to experience.
Effective leadership means attracting a tribe, in which every member discovers their own leadership.
What are your thoughts about this?
Do you have a practice that helps you radiate a positive energy? I love for you to share it in the comments.
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