Emotional Lack of Awareness: 10 Traits of Terrible Leadership

How do you manage your emotions under stress? And how do you handle the emotions of others?

Here’s a moment of truth: If your team rated your emotional intelligence, where would you land?

Your reaction in stressful moments can make or break trust, morale, and connection. Are you the steady leader your team needs, or do your emotions lead the way?

In this episode I give you a self-discovery assessment to help you master your emotional intelligence. Don’t miss this episode—your leadership may depend on it.

• Transcript

  How well do you manage your emotions, especially in the thick of stress, and how effectively do you respond to the emotions of others?

  Think about it—if one of your staff were asked to rate you in emotional intelligence, how do you think they’d score you? Here’s a scale to consider:

  1. Do you hide your emotions at work, keeping everything under wraps?

  2. Do you show your emotions in healthy ways, balancing transparency with professionalism?

  3. Or does your team know every emotion you feel, every time you feel it?

  Nelson Mandela offers a powerful example of emotional and relational awareness. During his 27 years in prison, Mandela faced severe mistreatment. Yet, instead of letting anger or resentment take over, he intentionally chose to build relationships with his prison guards. He spoke with them in their language, Afrikaans, and genuinely treated them with respect. This empathy and respect for others, in the face of what could have been, overwhelming emotions for oneself, didn’t go unnoticed. Over time, the guards began to respect him in return, and this reputation followed him long after he was released. When he later became President of South Africa, Mandela was renowned as a leader of integrity, using his influence to drive national reconciliation.

  So, consider your approach: When a team member comes to you, highly emotional, what’s your immediate response? Are you creating a safe space for people to express themselves, or are they more likely to keep their concerns to themselves?

  Take time to evaluate your own self-care practices too. Are you addressing emotions in healthy ways, or are you more likely to lean on self-medicating habits when things get intense?

  Self-awareness and emotional intelligence aren’t just about understanding yourself—they’re about creating a ripple effect that strengthens trust, respect, and morale in your entire team.