A client of mine was reading Carolyn Stern’s new book, The Emotionally Strong Leader: An Inside-Out Journey to Transformational Leadership. His first comment was, “I thought this was going to be way too woo-woo and touchy-feely, but it’s actually really helpful in helping me connect with my feelings so that I can connect with others.” Okay, now you have my attention!
Section I makes the case for building your emotional intelligence. Stern emphasizes you can be emotional AND strong; they are not mutually exclusive. Her point here is that emotions are not the enemy. They come and go. They are actually full of wisdom if you are aware of them.
Section II is the roadmap to discovering how to accept your emotions without judgment. To learn how to be bigger than your emotions, not allowing your feelings to rule you but for you to be able to rule your feelings. There are lots of activities in this section, stories and models to connect with yourself, consult with others, clarify your focus, consider your possibilities and barriers, craft your action plan, and confirm your commitment.
Sterns says in the conclusion of the book, “As I learned more and became more aware of my inner iceberg, I became a better leader, partner, family member, and human being.” So glad she shared her roadmap to start/continue the journey of being an emotionally strong leader!
Related Articles:
Book Review: The Motive: Why So Many Leaders Abdicate Their Most Important Responsibilities
