Infectiously Positive Management

Infectiously Positive Leadership

The last few years have been tough for everyone.  The cost-of-living crisis, war in Europe and the depths of winter have left many feeling rock bottom and in need of inspiration. 

At these hardest of times – just like Britain in 1940 – the Country looks to those in power to point the way forward and convince everyone that all is not lost and problems can be overcome.  As shown in the recent film Darkest Hour (starring Gary Oldman) Churchill rose to the occasion.  Despite the terrible situation and staring defeat in the face he stood firm with the immortal words WE SHALL NEVER SURRENDER.

It was disappointing therefore to be left feeling pretty flat after the recent speeches by our PM Rishi Sunak and leader of the opposition Sir Kier Starmer.  The former stated we could not expect to solve all our problems this year and the latter promised to take back control by devolving power to local authorities.  Both these speeches were intended to set out the respective leaders vision and plans for the future.  Rishi and Sir Kier are still relatively unknown.  They were reaching out, seeking to inspire voters and attract support for the up coming local elections and next general election expected to be in the not-too-distant future.          

Throughout history you can see how great leaders can inspire people through their words and actions.  They shaped opinion, changed minds, stirred emotions and changed history. 

In the current economic climate many businesses will be facing great challenges and major changes.  Staff may feel unsettled, on high alert for news of changes and worried about what is going to happen.  They will be watching their manager constantly, looking for emotional cues and hopefully reassurance that all will be ok.  If the manager is relaxed and optimistic the staff will naturally feel more positive and productive.  Rather than refreshing their CVs, going sick and starting to job hunt they will be more likely to knuckle down and work as a team to give the business the best chance of survival.

Each employee will make their own decision.  Recent research indicates that emotions rather than pure logic dictate our decision making.  The decision tends to come first, and any logical reasoning follows to justify an emotional choice. 

Appealing to employees’ emotions is therefore vital in gaining the preferred response.  Emotions are contagious.  People "catch" emotions by being around others.  It is primarily a nonverbal process lead by those with most power.  The manager can set the mood through their infectious positivity.  They must avoid negative body language and avoid coming across as insincere due to nervousness or lack of belief.  If the leader is not sure it will spread like a virus to the rest of the team, adversely affecting morale and lowering energy.  Conversely buoyant leaders are likely to make the entire team feel upbeat and energized.  The manager must truly believe in any initiatives proposed.   Doing so will help their body and voice align authentically to reflect that certainty.  

Effective leadership depends primarily on positive emotions that motivate people to identify with a cause and commit to it.  They ignite passion and inspire the best in their team.  Strategy, vision, and ideas matter but the reality is much more primal. Great leadership comes from the emotions.