Are You Leading With Energy? Why Great CEOs Are Also Chief Emotional Officers
- Jun 4
- 3 min read
Not all leadership energy is created equal.
I’m not talking about the high-achieving, power-through-the-exhaustion kind of energy. I’m talking about the felt kind. The presence. The emotional tone you carry into a room before you’ve even said a word.
Because let’s be honest – leadership isn’t just about what you do. It’s about how you show up.
The Leadership Lesson I Learnt the Hard Way
In my early career, I knew how to hit targets, deliver strategy, and manage complex projects. But I didn’t fully realise how my emotional energy was shaping the room around me.
On the days I carried stress or frustration, I watched the energy in the team shift with it. When I was calm and centred, people thought more clearly, made better decisions, and felt safer to be themselves.
It clicked:
If you’re anxious, they feel it. If you’re exhausted, they sense it. If you’re inspired, they feed off it.
Your Energy Is Always Speaking – and Leaking
Ever walked into a meeting and felt the tension before anyone said a word?
Or worked under a leader whose stress made the whole team anxious?
That’s emotional energy at play. And whether we intend it or not, it’s contagious.
The science backs it up. Emotional contagion research shows that we unconsciously absorb the emotions of those around us. When leaders bring calm, clarity, and connection – it ripples outward. But the same is true for stress, disconnection, and burnout.
So the question becomes: what’s your energy saying?
The Leadership Skill We Still Undervalue
Most leadership development focuses on hard skills – strategy, finance, decision-making.
Important? Absolutely.
Complete? Not even close.
What truly sets great leaders apart is Emotional Intelligence (EQ) – the ability to:
✔ Understand and manage your own emotions
✔ Recognise what others are feeling (and why)
✔ Communicate clearly and with empathy
✔ Stay composed under pressure
The best leaders I’ve worked with made people feel safe, heard, and motivated – not because they had the right answers, but because they brought the right presence.
From CEO to Chief Emotional Officer
Every organisation has a CEO. But every powerful leader also becomes the Chief Emotional Officer – the one who sets the emotional climate for the whole team.
Here’s how to lead with emotional impact:
🔶 From Commanding to Connecting
People don’t follow titles. They follow trust. Focus on human connection, not just authority.
🔶 From Reacting to Regulating
Know your triggers. Learn to manage your energy before it manages your team. Stress is normal. Reactivity is not.
🔶 From Transactional to Transformational
People remember how you made them feel. Prioritise psychological safety, belonging, and purpose. That’s where real performance lives.
Leadership Energy Audit: How Are You Showing Up?
A little self-inquiry goes a long way. Ask yourself:
If your energy was a song, what would it sound like?
How do people feel after a meeting with you – more focused, or more frazzled?
Are you creating the kind of emotional climate you’d want to work in?
Leadership isn’t just about results. It’s about the human experience you create along the way.
The more intentional you are with your energy, the more magnetic your leadership becomes.
Feeling the Pressure? Let’s Reset.
Pressure is constant. But your energy doesn’t have to be.
The Energy Audit is a free 30-minute leadership reset – a check-in designed to help you pause, recalibrate, and lead without running on empty.
No fluff. Just real reflection, honest insights, and tools to help you recharge your leadership presence.
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