QUARTERLY BEAT / JULY 2024
N egative L anguage There is a strong connection between a leader’s moods and how they choose to express themselves verbally. Words that increase followers’ sense of anxiety or cause them to be fearful, such as “appalling,” “substandard”, or “disappointing,” should be avoided. Leaders should be aware of their moods and listen to their messages. Alternatives to the harsh words above could be those that convey a more positive tone, yet convey the seriousness of the situation, including “surprising,” “room for improvement”, or “opportunities for growth”. I rregular or U npredictable A ctions Instability and uncertainty are triggers for anxiety and stress. To counterbalance the unpredictable nature of caring for pets and their owners, leaders need to have a stabilizing influence by acting in dependable, consistent ways. Leaders can have a steadying effect by being transparent, open, and authentic in all communications, both verbal and written. Consistent messaging helps to prevent confusion and minimizes the opportunity for misinterpretations. E motional V olatility The impact of leaders’ emotions on the people around them (‘mood contagion’) is well-documented. 1 If leaders are excitable, their stress tends to amplify emotions within their teams, and chaos ensues. When leaders can temper their emotions, and remain calm and composed, their followers will imitate them helping to further reduce anxiety within the team. E xtreme N egativity When teams are stressed or anxious, negativity further demotivates them and increases insecurity. Leaders should project optimism during times of uncertainty. Well-founded and truthful reassurance will help followers feel more confident, which lowers the levels of anxiety and stress in the workplace. I gnoring E mployee E motions Humans are emotional creatures, so it is expected they’d bring emotions with them to work. When leaders fail to focus on emotions that are present in the workplace, they lose the opportunity to manage the emotions and their impact. This is worsened when leaders solely focus on their own emotions. Leaders can modulate stress and anxiety in the workplace in two ways: · Recognize how deeply their actions impact their followers, both positively and negatively. Self- awareness allows leaders to modify their emotional responses, resulting in less emotional whiplash experienced by the team.
· Create a space where team members can share what emotions they are bringing to work each day. This can be verbal, such as in a team huddle at the beginning of each shift where leaders ask their followers “What are you bringing to work today?” This can also be accomplished visually, by creating a mood indicator chart on which team members can place different signs of their emotional state.
THE ROLE OF TRUST IN BRAVE LEADERSHIP
In veterinary hospitals, teamwork depends on the ability to effectively collaborate with one another. Successful collaboration starts with the actions of the leader and depends on trust, which forms when followers believe that the leader’s intentions are fair and truthful and that the leader will make decisions that support their well-being and best interests. When a leader’s actions cause stress and anxiety in the workplace, are inauthentic or when leaders fail to show that they care about their followers, trust can be broken. Brave leadership requires that leaders build a culture of trust by being authentic, displaying sound logic, and showing empathy. 6 A uthenticity Authenticity is often associated with “sincerity, honesty, and integrity” 7 ; it happens when leaders are genuine, meaning they bring and express their true selves to work. To be authentic, a leader’s words must align with their actions, which are supported by their values and beliefs. Furthermore, the leader must find common ground with followers by learning from and sharing past experiences with them. Trust is formed when team members get to know and understand their leaders, and each other. When leaders are inauthentic, it sends a message to employees that the workplace is not a safe space to reveal who they really are. This leadership action results in less willingness by followers to be vulnerable to the leader, which inhibits trust. L ogic Veterinary team members trust their leaders to make decisions that are in the team’s best interests. When leaders are indecisive, lack follow-through, or poorly communicate with followers, trust breaks down. To maintain trust, leaders need to share the reasons for their decisions using easily understood logic.
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VETGIRL BEAT EMAGAZINE | VETGIRLONTHERUN.COM
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