Welcome to Lead with Impact, Your biweekly dose of strategic leadership
insights and practical tips to advance your career, without burnout.
[5-min read]
Early in my career, I thought leadership meant solving problems fast.
The quicker I responded, the better leader I believed I was.
But urgency has a hidden cost.
When everything feels like a fire, you start leading from emotion, not intention.
That’s when I learned the real difference between reacting and responding:
Emotional Intelligence (EI).
It’s not about staying calm all the time.
It’s about knowing what drives your emotions and using them to move people forward.
Let’s explore five ways to stay emotionally grounded in high-pressure moments and lead with clarity and confidence:
1. Notice Before You React
Why it matters: Awareness gives you choice. You can’t lead what you don’t see.
When you recognize frustration or anxiety rising, you create space to choose your next move.
What it looks like: You pause before replying to an email that triggers you. You take a breath before entering a tense meeting.
Try this:
→ Ask yourself: “What emotion is driving me right now?”
→ Write it down; it transforms emotion into data, not drama.
2. Regulate, Don’t Repress
Why it matters: Bottling emotions isn’t strength; it’s delay.
Regulation means managing feelings so they serve your leadership, not sabotage it.
What it looks like: You acknowledge stress without letting it spill. You share concerns clearly instead of venting.
Try this:
→ Step away for two minutes; physical distance calms emotional noise.
→ Replace reaction with curiosity: “What’s really happening here?”
3. Reframe the Challenge
Why it matters: Perspective fuels resilience.
Emotionally intelligent leaders turn obstacles into opportunities to learn and adapt.
What it looks like: You reframe “This is chaos” into “This is a chance to test our teamwork.”
Try this:
→ Ask, “What’s the opportunity in this pressure?”
→ Teach your team to do the same; mindset spreads faster than stress.
4. Empathize Before You Evaluate
Why it matters: Empathy disarms defensiveness.
People listen more deeply when they feel understood first.
What it looks like: You ask “What’s been challenging for you this week?” before jumping into feedback.
Try this:
→ Start tough conversations with acknowledgement, not correction.
→ Remember: People don’t resist change; they resist feeling unseen.
5. Communicate With Emotional Clarity
Why it matters: Clear emotion creates clear direction.
How you say things determines how others act on them.
What it looks like: You choose words that calm, not confuse. You use tone to guide energy, not mirror chaos.
Try this:
→ In moments of tension, slow your pace and lower your tone; it signals control.
→ End meetings with encouragement, not exhaustion.
Leadership isn’t about eliminating emotion.
It’s about mastering it; So your presence brings steadiness when others feel the storm.
When you lead with emotional intelligence, your calm becomes contagious, your communication builds trust, and your influence expands naturally.
I’m Diana Lasso Strategic Leadership Coach and I help professionals and leaders grow with purpose, and impact. Ready to grow? Let’s walk this journey together.