Even the most successful companies lose key employees due to rapid career growth, conflicts, burnout, stress. Why? Any team resists change, as a result, the company is not able to reach a new level. At such times, the leader is especially important.
Organizations do not need ordinary employees, but leaders who are able to change their company from the inside, renew it and prevent the client from leaving for a competitor offering "fresh and relevant solutions."
If you do not have emotional intelligence skills, do not know how emotions affect the achievement of organizational goals, even the highest professionalism will not help solve the problems that arise. Want to be an effective leader? This book will provide practical skills and tips for using emotions in business.
Emotionally-intellectual leader is changing the world for the better, without imposing his opinion. Being a great leader means building trusting and strong relationships with employees.
EI leader templates. Common company problems
Work with a dissatisfied customer
BACKGROUND. Over the past ten years, we have established partnerships with a client that is beneficial to the success of the company. I recently noticed that something has changed. At meetings, the client is not so open, and we have not taken on new cases for a year already. As senior vice president of sales, I was concerned about a potential issue and asked the client to meet with us to discuss the situation.
TARGET. Connect with the client to understand their needs and how best to meet them.
EI template
USED STRATEGIES. Mood change; self talk; physiological methods; collation and verification; emotional connection.
RESULT OF THE TEMPLATE OF THE E-LEADER. I made an appointment next week at the client’s office. I immediately said that I noticed a change in our relationship and wanted to check my observations. They were surprised, but thanked for their concern. Reluctantly, they shared that they were undergoing internal transformations and were not sure about their future. I was genuinely worried, but relieved that this was not our fault. I offered them any help. They were grateful that I found time for a meeting. Unfortunately, their reorganization did lead to a decrease in business, but our business is still productive and our relationship has become more reliable.
Mapping
What emotions are you and others experiencing? I am worried that our client may stop working and find another company. If this happens, I could be considered an ineffective leader, removed from office, and lose the respect of my employees, colleagues, and supervisor. Customer relations are tense. At our last meeting, I noticed that the client seemed very excited, impatient, annoyed and even a little unhappy.
Comparison
What emotions are most effective? I don't let my anxiety overwhelm me. I need to make an appointment and hear what they have to say. We must be open to their feedback, no matter how terrible they may be. I want them to know how much I appreciate their business
suggestion
What is the reason for these emotions? I know why I am worried about meeting them, but I have no idea why they are upset. I understand that I have not had a conversation for a long time about what is important for them and whether we meet their requirements.
In the next meeting, I will focus on their goals and how I can contribute to their achievement. I need to understand what position they are in now, what position they want to be in and how I can help them
Action
How will you maintain or manage these emotions? Worries about losing a customer prevented me from getting their feedback. I need to work on my emotions in this awkward situation. I will listen and check myself if I understand their needs correctly. I will remain optimistic, remember previous successes and work to restore the relationships that we once had
BACKGROUND. I work for a construction company in the purchasing department. A few years ago, our organization entered into a long-term contract (for 20 years) with a production facility that provides us with quality materials for the construction of residential buildings. Recently they have changed several heads of departments, including the sales department, with whom I communicate directly. Contact was established with the previous head of sales and his team, and all orders were completed on time. Now the new boss has knocked down the old procedure; mistakes in the timing and size of deliveries are frequent. And these changes strongly affect our current and future projects. I feel that I am beginning to conflict, all negotiations with him are eternal curses, which he seems to be oblivious to and does not take seriously. His eternally positive attitude drives me crazy.
TARGET. Improve rapport with the new head of the third-party organization, thereby establishing the supply process.
EI template
USED STRATEGIES. Mood change; self talk; physiological methods; emotional connection.
RESULT OF THE TEMPLATE OF THE E-LEADER. After analyzing the emotions, I realized that a constructive conversation is needed. Before the meeting, I did not cheat myself, but, on the contrary, tried to distract myself and calm down. I tried to match the mood of the interlocutor and informed him that the new order arranged by him did not suit us on several points. I did not forget to report a negative perception of his indifference. It turned out that my annoyance was not taken seriously, because I had not mentioned before which specific points did not suit me. Indeed, my annoyance turned into the presentation of abstract claims, and a constructive conversation about the details of the process led me to the result. A personal meeting bore fruit - my proposals for changing some of the points were taken into account, and cooperation did not have such a negative background.
Mapping
What emotions are you and others experiencing? Each conversation with the new boss is accompanied by irritation, I feel anger both before and after the conversation. He is optimistic every time and as if he doesn’t feel my irritation. It seems to me that he does not consider me and the requests of our company, with which cooperation will continue for many years.
Comparison
What emotions are most effective? My irritation and anger show that I cannot accept the new work order now. Hits with the sales department lead me to a bad relationship with the supplier, and suppliers are one of the most important parts of our construction process. The always good mood of the head of the sales department is perceived by me as indifference and indifference to my problems
Assumption
What is the reason for these emotions? I counted on a continuous repetitive flow of supplies. The replacement of the person with whom I need to cooperate initially alerted me, and I took any changes in the established order with caution. My irritation was expected, perhaps in this way I tried to influence the building of a new process, and therefore I am even more annoyed by the calmness on the other side of the dialogue, because this means that I cannot influence the situation
Action
How will you maintain or manage these emotions? My annoyance should not be ignored. Facts that annoy should be eliminated. The vendor’s indifference does not help to eliminate irritation factors, so it’s necessary to explain my problem to the sales manager. Perhaps he will not take my annoyed tone seriously, and if I report on the same calm wave of the possibility of a sharp termination of relations with their production, this will be perceived more alarmingly and will entail a series of troubles
Skeptical audience presentation
BACKGROUND. As the head of the HR department, I report to the CEO and work closely with other senior vice presidents. We have high staff turnover, complaints about unfair labor practices, low morale, poor customer service and reduced productivity. I was tasked with developing a plan to change the situation and asking for my recommendations at the next leadership meeting.
TARGET. Present options that will include productive discussions and outcomes.
EI template
USED STRATEGIES. Mood changes; self talk; physiological methods; collation and verification; emotional connection.
RESULT OF THE TEMPLATE OF THE E-LEADER. I did my best to prepare for the meeting. Appointed her for the morning so that everyone was attentive and in a better mood. Spent 30 minutes to imagine the course of the meeting, practiced deep breathing, walking around the building. I began my presentation with a serious tone, so that my colleagues would know that I understand the importance of the meeting. Instead of ignoring their emotions, I stayed open, allowed them to share their thoughts and listened to their concerns. The more I listened, the more people entered into an honest dialogue. I was glad that they took responsibility for the situation and did not leave me extreme. We left the meeting with ideas for the work that needed to be done to change everything. Despite the fact that we have an incredibly difficult path, we have become a more united team. I'm so happy,that he took the time to emotionally prepare and was able to channel the emotions of colleagues towards a common goal.
Mapping
What emotions do you and others feel? I've never been so nervous in my entire career. I feel that my work depends on this presentation and is worried. The CEO and my colleagues are thrilled, we did not find out and did not solve the problem. I'm afraid they think I'm guilty
Matching
What emotions are most effective? Being nervous is not bad. I have to be concerned and anxious to focus on the topic and thoroughly explore all the options. Nevertheless, I need to make sure that I manage my fear and anxiety so as not to stop working and not sound uncertain in the recommendations. I want my colleagues to be receptive to what I say.
Assumption
What is the reason for these emotions? I am in the electric chair because hiring, employee satisfaction, employment issues are all my responsibility. I have no control over what other leaders are doing to solve this problem, but I must fix it. My colleagues are disappointed that the problem has not disappeared, they have other things that they prefer to do. They are also concerned about the fact that our customers and employees can take
action
How will you maintain or manage these emotions? I will be nervous, it will take me time, a lot of time to prepare for the presentation. I will try to be in a good mood, meditate, listen to relaxing music, walk. I will make an emotional prediction of what might happen in the meeting. I want to make sure people are open to my suggestions, so I'll have to keep a close eye on their emotions during the meeting. I will imagine that I will say, as I say it, the tone of voice, movement and will remain positive during the presentation. I will focus on the overall goal of increasing employee and customer satisfaction and share my ideas. But I do not want them to feel pressure. I want to engage them in a meaningful discussion so that we disagree with a sense of involvement in what we are doing.
Reply to an angry email
BACKGROUND. John and I have been working on the same team for the past year. We get along well and often work on important initiatives. Our current project is almost complete with a final report, which is due to be delivered by the CEO tomorrow. Today, out of the blue, I received a terrible email from John accusing me of disrupting the project and not getting it done. He finished his letter, indicating that I did not care about the project and that he was disappointed. Needless to say, how amazed I was.
TARGET. Reply to e-mail and solve the problem immediately.
EI Template.
USED STRATEGIES. Mood change; revaluation; self talk; physiological method; a choice of a situation; emotional connection; tone modulation.
THE RESULT OF THE LEADER EI PATTERN. I went to John's office, and what a mistake it was! Although I had good intentions, but in vain I appeared outside his door - a fool! He was already upset because of me, and my appearance made him even more angry. Come to think of it, I should have sent him an email asking when he would be ready to meet. He invited me in, and I found the strength to communicate, but it was not a good start. Fortunately, I grabbed notes on where the project was, what I did, and he was relieved. He also admitted that he may have reacted too sharply, he is rude to people when he is stressed. The result was a great conversation, and we agreed on how to communicate more effectively in the future, especially under stress.
Mapping
What emotions are you and others experiencing? I am surprised by this email and angry that he accused me of not doing the job. I’m very unpleasant because I did my best to finish this project. Obviously John is disappointed that I let him down.
Matching
Which emotions are most effective? What we feel now will definitely not help any of us. We need to cooperate and motivate each other if we are going to implement a project.
Assumption
What is the reason for these emotions? That's a good question. John is very collected and I am not. Perhaps he feels that I do not take matters as seriously as he does. I understand that I did not provide him with the latest information, and perhaps he does not understand what work I have done and how close we are to completing the project. I'm on the verge of devastation. Perhaps I am overreacting, but there is nothing I can do about it.
Act
How will you maintain or manage these emotions? Instead of answering emails, I'm going to see John in person. Before I meet him, I need to cool down to be ready to talk. I admit that he is disappointed with me, and I ask him why. Instead of taking it on my own account, defending myself or attacking, I will listen to him carefully to see if I can do anything to rectify the situation. I will be positive, but serious about the work that I have done. I admit that I was not in touch as effectively as I should, and I will correct this in the future. I will listen to his suggestions on how we can work better together so that the conflict does not happen again.
Team disagreements
BACKGROUND. We have sharply gathered a new team on the project. I have been working as a middle manager for a long time, and this is not my first team. Now it turns out that employees are motivated, focused on results, but the team cannot work together due to personal differences. Because of this, work is going on inefficiently. The last conflict was the most vivid, and after that I realized that we were mired in endless personal showdowns, and I needed to finally solve this problem in order to form working communication in the team.
TARGET. Establish a workflow and communication in a team.
EI template
USED STRATEGIES. Mood changes; revaluation; self talk; physiological method; a choice of a situation; emotional connection; tone modulation.
THE RESULT OF THE LEADER EI PATTERN. I thoroughly prepared for this meeting. I studied the necessary information, registered the course of the meeting. As a result, we took a long time to analyze everything that was happening, everyone expressed their dissatisfaction, we played team-building games, and at the end we ate pizza, and it was already felt that the tension had subsided, it was a breeze. A week later, we met again and each said that that meeting had borne fruit, and I noticed that too. We have introduced such meetings on a regular basis. Now the project is going well, disagreements, of course, arise, but much less often and are resolved quickly enough.
Mapping
What emotions do you and others feel? I feel anxiety and wariness about what is happening and the future of the company. I am in tension due to such an atmosphere in the team, it puts a lot of pressure on everyone. I see that my employees also care about this, they are annoyed and worried about the current situation, but at the same time they behave like children and constantly swear.
Matching
What emotions are most effective? Now I feel anxiety, it pushes me to find a solution, mobilizes. The main thing is not to let her capture me. Otherwise, it can develop into constant stress. The fact that the employees are worried is positive, as it makes me understand that they also care, they are ready to solve this problem.
Assumption
What is the reason for these emotions? All this happens because the situation has reached a peak. I understand that this is also my mistake, since I did not immediately find an effective way out of the circumstances. It was necessary from the very beginning to act radically. In addition, I am worried, since I have all the responsibility for the project, this shows my incompetence. And the team cannot independently resolve this accumulated confusion.
Act
How will you support these emotions or manage them? To fix everything, I need to manage not only my emotions, but also the emotions of my employees. It is necessary to reduce the glow, change the atmosphere and relationships. I am thinking of bringing them together this week and setting up a discussion table without blame or reproach, perhaps preparing specific team building exercises and giving them various psychological techniques. Try to create a positive, friendly attitude, order pizza, relax together. Schedule a mandatory meeting at which we will establish internal communication. And take it as a rule.
Working with bully
BACKGROUND. I have been working with Devon, the head of the information technology department, for several months now, he is a real badass. I saw how he insulted others, but now he switched to me. It can be very subtle, for example, he makes disparaging comments at meetings, ignores me in the hallway, or conducts small investigations into my work. I endured for a long time, but if the situation does not change in the near future, who knows what will happen.
TARGET. Have a productive conversation with Devon so that he stops his terrible behavior.
EI Template.
USED STRATEGIES. Mood changes; revaluation choice of situation; emotional connection.
THE RESULT OF THE LEADER EI PATTERN. Soon after I decided to sort out the situation with Devon, he began to intimidate me when I met. My immediate reaction was to shut up, but then I reminded myself of the pattern. I asked to meet him later that day. I prepared myself, hoping for a positive meeting, doing a lot of deep breathing to calm myself. I thanked him for coming and noted that I felt how unhappy he was with my performance. I asked what we can do to work together more effectively. At first, Devon ignored me and told me not to take anything into my account, he was only joking. Nevertheless, we should give him his due, he understood how important it is to be able to work together, and he listened. I said that I would like to establish a working relationship and get to know him better. Invited for lunch the next day.It was a little awkward at first, but it turned out that we really have a lot in common. I found out that he is an avid golfer, so we were going to play soon. Over the next few weeks, as we got to know each other better, the bullying stopped, and since then we have had no problems. If he hadn't stopped this behavior, I would have discussed the situation with the HR director. No one should be bullied. Never.Never.Never.
Mapping
What emotions do you and others feel? I am ashamed that I did not have the courage to confront Devon. I don't understand why he is bullying me, and I am disappointed that my colleague did this to me. I am also angry with Devon, because for him this is the norm.
Matching
What emotions are most effective? I know all of this negatively affects my work. I avoid Devon, our projects are not meeting deadlines. We need to work together and get things done, not act like schoolchildren.
Assumption
What is the reason for such emotions? As a child, I was bullied by my peers, and Devon's behavior brings back painful memories. I think Devon likes to bully people - it makes him feel domineering and in control. Personally, I think that he lacks self-confidence, and his behavior is the result of some other life events. But I could be wrong.
Act
How will you maintain or manage these emotions? I understand that I judged Devon. I really didn't know him and didn't show any sympathy for him. Perhaps the reason why he behaves this way lies in something personal. The next time he starts bullying me, I’ll go to the authorities. I will not avoid it or face it with anger because that will not solve the problem. I will ask him questions. I will ask him what his expectations are, and I will share mine. I will remain positive and respect Devon for his strengths, for what he brings to the team. I will inform him that I would like to have a working relationship with him, see if we can get to know each other better. Maybe for lunch or a beer after work. I'm sure Devon will stop his terrible behavior if we just get to know each other better.
Work with uncertainty and inconstancy
BACKGROUND. Our company is in the process of a major reorganization. This is the third in less than five years. Our market is constantly changing and we try our best to keep up and stay ahead of the competition. As one of the senior vice presidents, my team expects confidence, stability and support from me. I just hope that I can handle everything, or we all go looking for work.
TARGET. Move the organization in the right direction.
EI Template.
USED STRATEGIES. Mood change; intermediate moment; emotional connection; tone modulation.
THE RESULT OF THE LEADER EI PATTERN. I had to go out of my comfort zone to share problems with my colleagues. I am not used to discovering vulnerabilities and it was a little scary. But as soon as I did this, others joined the conversation, and we all agreed that we must take a step forward and lead as we think is right. We agreed to hold a meeting to re-attract attention and energize our employees. And that was the right decision. We knew that we should be sincere because they see us through and through. The meeting allowed people to share their feelings and get inspired. It really united us, and we left the meeting with hope. Since this meeting, we have seen a significant improvement in morale and manner of communication - even in a state of stress. Another reorganization will happen again,but next time we'll be ready.
Mapping
What emotions do you and others feel? Although we've been through this before, it's scary. We are worried and excited to lose our job. People are worried, upset and disappointed that our company is losing ground and could be liquidated. We ourselves are tired and burned out from work.
Matching
Which emotions will be most effective? Our mood, of course, depresses us, and such behavior will lead to ill-will sooner rather than later. We drifted apart, the communication was terrible. The negative is palpable and contagious; it infects everyone in the company from top to bottom. Although we should not be happy with the situation, we need to cooperate and support each other.
Assumption
What is the reason for these emotions? Our company has been one of the leading companies in the sector over the past decade. We were proud of significant growth and profitability, and watching it fall is unbearable. It's not hard to guess why we feel all of this, but the way we behave is no good.
Act
How will you maintain or manage these emotions? As one of the leaders, I need to solve this situation with my colleagues. There needs to be a dialogue about what we are going through so that we can consider the impact of our emotions on the company and employees. For our employees, we must be a role model. We must reaffirm our goal and look to the future with hope. We must inspire and involve employees in our vision for the future. We must encourage open communication, inclusiveness, transparency and positivity at all levels of the organization. However, you need to start with the head. We are a great company with a great product, and together we can find out where and how to continue to prosper.
Infusion of new employees into the team
BACKGROUND. Some time ago, changes began in the composition of the team. First, two employees were transferred to another enterprise, after which three more left (someone quit, someone had to be fired). At present, good specialists have been recruited to these places who have already passed the adaptation stage and would have successfully completed their work if they had harmoniously interacted with each other. As long as the tasks set by me are performed at a low speed, all my interference in communication between employees is regarded as negative by the team. When dividing tasks for "old" and "new", the work is not completed completely, but quickly. It annoys me, after that I come to a feeling of hatred for the team. I am afraid that this will be felt by subordinates, and this can lead to greater discord.
TARGET. To establish a relationship between old and new team members for effective work.
EI template
USED STRATEGIES. Mood change; intermediate moment; emotional connection; tone modulation.
RESULT OF THE TEMPLATE OF THE E-LEADER. During the week, I personally talked with each member of the team, figured out their comfortable style of interaction with colleagues. I also communicated my vision of correct communication between colleagues, I was sincere and shared my dissatisfaction with the speed of the team in completing tasks. Reported concerns about the comfort of both "new" and "old" employees. In this format of dialogue, many expressed the idea of the need for time to build confidence and comfortable interaction. The team was grateful for the special attention to the situation. And after a few months the team really rallied, and trust in me as a leader increased even more. No layoffs or forced replacement of team members is currently foreseen.
Mapping
What emotions are you and others experiencing? I get annoyed because of the discrepancy between the actual state of affairs and my idea of an effective team. Employees do not feel trust in each other, try to avoid cooperation. My participation in establishing communication between subordinates is perceived painfully, with distrust. In response to this, I feel anger towards my team.
Matching
What emotions will be most effective? My annoyance gives me strength to resolve the problem, shows me that the problem really exists. But being angry with the team prevents me from looking for a solution and leads to fatigue.
Assumption
What is the reason for these emotions? My annoyance signals the unfulfillment of my hopes for a speedy rallying of the team. I know that trust between people does not build immediately. I understand that building harmonious interaction takes time, and influence from the outside does not always improve the process of establishing contact. I need to create a favorable atmosphere, and when doing a common cause, the team will find their own style of interaction. And aversion to the team is my defense against the feeling of being disconnected from the team.
Act
How will you support these emotions or manage them? My irritation, turning into anger at the team, was heading in a negative direction. I need to use the energy of this emotion to figure out the individual reasons for the team not to trust each other. I need to take time to find out the reasons for the distrust of subordinates to each other. In accordance with this, set goals in such a way that steadily increased trust between them. Build the work process so that the professional qualities of the "new" employees are recognized as "old."
Announcement of unwanted news
BACKGROUND. We have a new product that will hit the market next month, so everyone is in seventh heaven. This is a big win for the company. As CFO, I am concerned that we have taken on too much. Also, I have quality issues that may affect the launch of the product. Our president is calling an executive meeting to discuss a new product launch. Everyone is very happy, and nobody really cares what I notice. Although I’m not a pessimist, not everything is going smoothly with the upcoming meeting.
TARGET. Share challenges to engage the steering group in a joint discussion.
EI template
USED STRATEGIES. Mood changes; emotional connection.
THE RESULT OF THE LEADER EI PATTERN. At our meeting, I shocked everyone. Instead of giving out a report, I verbally shared our financial situation, more emotionally than usual. They tried to focus me on the positive, but I did not give in to show the seriousness of the situation and the negative impact that it can have on our future. I drew their attention to the problem. An unexpected turn allowed us to enter into a meaningful conversation about where we were as a company and where we should be. We left the meeting fully understanding the problem and successfully launched the product - 18 months later. We used the delay time to solve quality problems and consolidate success.
Mapping
What emotions are you and others experiencing? I'm nervous because I know I might be mistaken for a troublemaker. I am also worried that if I do not manage my emotions, the company may receive bad advertising that will harm it. My colleagues are excited and anticipating that after 5 years of development we will have a new product.
Comparison
What emotions are most effective? I know that this meeting will cause a lot of controversy and my concern will look like weakness. I need to approach this situation soberly and share my thoughts so that people do not feel unprotected and do not force me to remain silent. I'm glad my colleagues are so positive, but it distracts them from noticing what's really going on.
Assumption
What is the reason for these emotions? Everything is good in our company, life is beautiful. Customers and employees seem happy, profit margins are not high, but good. However, I have read industry reports warning us of worse times. Our customers don't buy new products and profits start to decrease. I have already raised this issue several times, but they continue to ignore it. We are now about to launch a new product that may have quality issues. We cannot afford to make a mistake, and this new development bothers me.
Act
How will you maintain or manage these emotions? As CFO, I deal with numbers and provide weekly reports that show our decline. I realize I was unemotional about this, and the reaction I get is also stingy with emotion. Facts and figures do not convey the picture. Therefore, I will change the strategy that I usually use when demonstrating material. I will share industry data, maybe show a video related to our industry to show the shift we are all seeing. I don’t want them to panic, so I’ll stay calm, listen, and give me time to think about the information. Then I will engage them in a conversation about what we can do. We must ensure that we leave the meeting, making the best decision for the company and customers.
Maintaining chain of command and maintaining relationships
BACKGROUND. I worked in the company in a line position, for my independence in decision-making and initiative I was promoted to a managerial position, and all line personnel with whom I worked passed into my subordination. In the linear position, we all communicated with each other in a friendly manner. When I was promoted, other tasks set in front of me, and to fulfill my functional I had to give instructions, control, maintain discipline and diligence in the team, but due to the fact that these were my friends, I seriously take my comments and adjustments in work they weren't.
TARGET. Change the working situation, restore the chain of command.
EI Template.
USED STRATEGIES. Mood changes; revaluation; choice of situation;
THE RESULT OF THE LEADER EI PATTERN. I talked with the director, described to him both the cons and the pros of the situation. He was a little dissatisfied, since now he is very busy at work, but still he entered my position and understood my condition and all the inefficiency of what was happening. As a result, this conversation helped me a lot. We decided that it would be better to transfer me to another department. Of course, a completely new team is also not easy, but at the moment it is better than before. I will try to win their trust and respect, so that the workflow goes efficiently. It turns out that I kept my friends and got a promotion. I am satisfied.
Mapping
What emotions are you and others experiencing? It feels like I'm being torn apart. I feel irritation, which quite often develops into anger when my subordinates do not take me seriously, and I can not perform my job duties. But I also feel guilty because it’s unpleasant to scold people you treat well. And my colleagues don't think about it at all and act as if nothing has changed.
Comparison
What emotions are most effective? I don't like the emotions that I feel at all, I feel empty when I come home from work. I want my employees to support me and help me, to fulfill the tasks. The current situation cannot continue this way, because if I cannot restore the chain of command, I may be fired due to ineffective work. I need to change something.
Assumption
What is the reason for these emotions? I was promoted because I am a responsible employee who knows all the intricacies of the profession, which means that in the role of a leader who will prompt and manage work to his subordinates, I will be even more effective. I really find it difficult to gain respect from friends with whom we recently chatted as equals, and no matter how hard I try, you cannot get people to perceive me differently.
Act
How will you support these emotions or manage them? I don’t feel like supporting these emotions at all, but to change them without changing the situation is unrealistic. If I talk to the director and calmly explain the problem, then he will most likely transfer me to another branch or give another command with which I can start from scratch. In any case, now I see no other way. I will not postpone it, and tomorrow I will go up to him and explain everything; I hope he understands me.
Loss of incentive and passion for work
BACKGROUND. I have worked in the same organization for over 32 years and have been retired for 4 years. Over the course of my career, I have changed many jobs and loved almost all of them. As the financial manager of a multi-million dollar organization, I am watching an excellent team of 42 people. They are young, enthusiastic, smart and innovative. I know that when I leave they will carry on and be amazing leaders. Part of me wonders if it's time for me to leave instead of watching other people as the clock ticks by. I've been looking forward to work lately, and although I love my team, I've lost my passion, motivation and enthusiasm. I thought that over time I would feel different, but after a year it was time to find out what was really happening.
TARGET. Re-engage yourself and commit to work.
EI template
USED STRATEGIES. Mood change; emotional connection.
THE RESULT OF THE LEADER EI PATTERN. I ended the meeting and honestly told them how I felt. I said that I want to end my career as their boss and I have to make some changes. I shared how much I enjoyed the mentoring and would like to help them in their career growth, if interested. I was so glad that almost all of my team accepted my offer. I also talked to my boss and shared my feelings. It turned out by chance that our company was thinking about introducing a new financial system and needed someone who would manage the project. The boss asked if I wanted to be the leader and I jumped. Now my days are full of mentoring, financial system project management, and teamwork. My incentive is back, and I can't wait a day to get to work, at least for the next four years!
Mapping
What emotions do you and others feel? I feel tired, bored and upset, I think my boss and team feel the same way. I’m worried that people will think that I’m retiring and want me to leave as soon as possible.
Matching
What emotions are most effective? I hate it when I feel this way. It's not me. I've always been passionate about the work I do. I want to bring this feeling back again. Even worse, this condition will not help me solve the problems. I need to fully address this issue.
Assumption
What is the reason for these emotions? I have been with the company for over 30 years. My team are experts, and I sit back and watch them. I can do my job with my eyes closed. I'm bored and I know my team won't miss me if I leave.
Action
How will you maintain or manage these emotions? I should have thought when I felt happy at work. What did I do? Who was I? I quickly realized that I was happy when I was in charge. But since I do not want to overly control or interfere with their work, I refused to mentor. I also haven't taken on difficult projects for years because I want my team to take the lead - it's time for them to shine. I realize that I miss feeling useless. But enough of sitting back and feeling sorry for yourself, it's time to act.
BACKGROUND. I lead the branch network. Opening the next new branch should be a profitable investment, all preliminary calculations gave excellent results. But now half a year has passed, and the results leave much to be desired. I rarely manage to personally visit this branch, but when I get in touch with them, I hear only one thing: “Everything is fine”, “Everything is according to plan”, although the financial results indicate a completely different situation. I am constantly trying to get reliable information from them so that problems can be solved and the affiliate becomes successful, but I do not get specific information in return. Therefore, I spend too much time on this problem, my other projects may suffer because of this.
TARGET. Organize the work of the branch.
EI template
USED STRATEGIES. Mood change; emotional connection.
THE RESULT OF THE LEADER EI PATTERN. I found time on a schedule and went on a business trip to personally chat. I felt that the workers were tense. Perhaps they expected me to criticize them, as always. I tried to listen more and hear everyone. I talked with the leader and realized that he could cope with his duties without my constant supervision. I also got to know all the other employees and saw that they are responsible workers. After returning, I organized video conferences once a week, during which I set tasks and requested feedback on the results without criticizing their work. I just directed and set tasks that should have been solved independently. Next month, work has improved markedly: reports are regularly sent to the main office without my reminder.Financial results are also starting to improve slightly.
Mapping
What emotions do you and others feel? First of all, I feel disappointment, and first of all in myself. I put a lot of effort into opening a branch and am now confused and annoyed when I see such poor performance. It's a shame that I can't keep everything under control and I don't get truthful information about the situation.
Matching
What emotions are most effective? My frustration can soon turn into anger and start to interfere with the work process. I need to focus and use my irritation to communicate my vision to the branch staff. I feel comfortable when I am in control, but the time frame does not allow me to fully control everything that happens there, so I want the branch employees to feel responsible for their results.
Assumption
What is the cause of these emotions? My annoyance and annoyance arose because I did not know why the results of the branch are low, perhaps this is due to poor contact with employees. I am disappointed as I did not think that I would not be able to cope with such a task. At the main office, I know every detail and every little thing that I can fix in a timely manner. I need to understand how to establish daily communication and increase employee responsibility.
Act
How will you maintain or manage these emotions? I need to re-evaluate my actions, understand where they lead and what is more effective now. I understand that the employees of the branch do not feel responsible for their actions, as they see that I strive to control everything on my own, which interferes with the work process. First of all, I need to establish relationships with them and show my trust. Hope this helps them accept their responsibility. I still have to make time to personally communicate with the employees of the branch and understand what is happening there. This way I can be sure that the information they give me is true, and I will only intervene in their work in an emergency.
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