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Hi from Cécile!

Emotions are reactions.

They are responses to external stimuli such as events or situations.

Then, the brain comes into play with perception (picking selected event data), assigning meanings, and generating feelings and behaviours.

Aha! The key insight here is this:

You can’t control your emotions—they happen, whether you like it or not—but with a bit of training, you can understand how your mind interprets them.

And how you interpret them impacts your behaviours and decision-making.

Once you understand that your emotions (especially the negative ones) are helpful only for a few seconds and subject to personal interpretation, you are conditioned to leverage their power to your benefit.

This is where Positive Intelligence (PQ) matters.

What is PQ?

It’s about labelling, managing, and choosing your response to emotions.

Whether positive or negative, emotions influence your leadership.

You know, just as well as I do, that the negative ones can shake us to our core.

Crises, structural changes, adversity - our leadership skills and qualities are constantly put to the test.

This is when you need PQ the most.

Next time you face a challenging situation, follow these 3 steps.

"What did you just say?" - See PQ in action

Five simple words that can create a lot of tension in the workplace

As a coach with over a decade of experience working with leaders and teams in top-ranking organisations, I’ve seen how this phrase can be toxic to workplace relationships and team dynamics.

Not only does it put people on the defensive, but it also suggests impatience and a lack of respect, discouraging open dialogue and compromising psychological safety.

Furthermore, it creates an unnecessary power dynamic and fuels miscommunication (without addressing the root cause).

Words hold a lot of power. We should select them wisely and double-check with a filter before articulating them - especially when a lot is at stake.

Sometimes, the surge of emotions during a crisis or difficult conversation can be hard to tame.

Stepping back for a moment allows for headspace and clarity, which help you effectively regulate your emotions and filter your thoughts (and words).

So, if you find yourself in a situation where emotions seem to take over and effective communication is at risk, follow this four-step process to reverse the situation.

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