The COVID-19 pandemic forced a global experiment in remote work, rapidly accelerating the adoption of Work From Home (WFH) policies across industries. What initially appeared to be a simple shift in work location has instead revealed deep-seated issues within organizations—most notably, a critical misalignment between leadership and management. As some companies have thrived while others floundered, it's become clear that successful WFH implementation isn't just about technology or logistics—it's about aligning leadership's vision with management's execution.

 

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Don’t suppress your emotions in a conflict. Embrace and express them! 

Conventional wisdom suggests staying calm and detached, but genuine emotional expression can build trust and transparency. Displaying your emotions can also provide a valuable template for your team how to react in difficult circumstances. 

Acknowledge your feelings internally first to understand their root cause. Then, communicate them constructively to demonstrate empathy and authenticity. This doesn't mean losing control but using your emotions to humanize the conflict resolution process. 

By modelling emotional intelligence, you set a precedent for open, honest dialogue, fostering a culture where conflicts are addressed with mutual respect and understanding.

 

To do the deep work on this, use the third reflective practice “My Emotional Week” in my free micro-course Reflective Practice for Professionals. You can find all our courses here

…only they can reignite their passion! 

Shift your focus from trying to inspire, to helping each one of them discover their own drive. 

Start by having an honest conversation about their goals, values, and what they find fulfilling – especially when they have succeeded, appeared energized or taken ownership. Then, see if you can alter their context—perhaps by changing their responsibilities, involving them in new projects, or adjusting their work environment. 

By aligning their tasks with their intrinsic motivations and providing a fresh perspective, you create conditions where they can rediscover their drive and self-motivation, leading to a more engaged and energized team member.

If you are stuck failing to motivate others, let's talk. 

I have been talking a lot about storytelling recently. I teach it in Personal Effectiveness classes and senior leaders are keen to learn. Why?

 

Because the emotional connection you can forge with your audience is what turns information into inspiration, data into decisions, and audiences into advocates. Provoking emotions increase your chances of getting attention, getting understood, getting remembered, getting repeated and getting action!

 

While storytelling  is a well-trodden path to achieving this, it’s by no means the only avenue available to those who wish to make an emotional impact. You can use imagery, analogy, passion, humour and how you present to provoke emotions and empathic connections.

 

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Last month, a client took me out for dinner to say thank you for my coaching and celebrate their success. I demurred, "You did the work, not me."
I should accept the data without modesty, acknowledge my role in their success and positively embrace the gratitude.

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