When Emotion Distorts Leadership: What Most Leaders Miss
Jan 09, 2026Leadership isn’t hard because you lack skill.
It’s hard because your thinking may not be as clear as you believe.
Consider the image of dye dispersing through clear water.
The change is immediate and visible. What was once transparent becomes unmistakably coloured. The water doesn’t resist; it simply absorbs. Its clarity is gone.
This is exactly what happens when emotion enters our thinking. It tints everything—our perspective, our judgments, our decisions. And most of the time, we don’t even notice it.
We carry on assuming our thinking is objective and sound. We may even justify how we feel, using logic that sounds right—but is often built on distorted input.
In leadership, this becomes dangerous. Emotion shapes how we hear feedback, how we handle pressure, and how we show up for others. If you’re not aware of its influence, it silently hijacks your clarity.
The risk isn’t just personal—it affects your team, your decisions, your outcomes.
But here’s the opportunity: when you build the skill to recognise when the emotional “dye” is in the water, things begin to shift.
You get access to clearer insight.
You stop reacting and start responding.
You begin to see what others can’t.
This is emotional intelligence in action—
Not just feeling more, but noticing when feelings are steering the ship.
You can’t remove emotion, and you shouldn’t. But you can train yourself to spot when it’s shaping your lens. That starts with:
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Regular reflection
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Asking for outside perspective
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Building teams that challenge bias, not reinforce it
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Learning how your nervous system reacts under pressure
Leadership becomes clearer—not because there’s less emotion, but because you’re no longer fooled by it.
And that clarity?
That’s your edge.
Want to strengthen your leadership clarity?
Check out EdgeEQ to see all the ways we can work together.
Looking to shift how your team shows up?
Check out Elephant in the Room ā€” our signature training programme for teams ready to build trust, speak honestly, and perform at a higher level.
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