Some plants thrive in the harshest environments—rocky cliffs, wind-beaten dunes, and dry, cracked soil. They don’t merely survive; they adapt, strengthen, and flourish despite adversity. Leadership works the same way.Resilience grows when people learn to channel stress into strength. This concept, known as heartiness, is the courage to grow through challenges rather than be overwhelmed by them. Emotionally intelligent leaders don’t remove obstacles for their teams. Instead, they help people build stress fitness by shaping how they perceive and respond to pressure. Here’s how leaders can cultivate heartiness in themselves and others:

1. Focus on What’s Within Control
Stress builds when situations feel completely out of our hands. Leaders help teams regain confidence by shifting focus toward what can be controlled—effort, mindset, preparation, and response.
💡 Try this: When tension rises, ask: What’s one thing we can influence right now? Redirecting attention to action restores a sense of agency.

2. Connect to Purpose
A clear purpose fuels perseverance. When leaders tie difficult tasks to meaningful goals, pressure becomes easier to handle because the effort feels worthwhile.
💡 Try this: If a project feels overwhelming, reframe it: How does this contribute to something bigger? What impact will this have? A strong “why” turns pressure into motivation.

3. Lean Into Core Values
People navigate stress more effectively when their choices align with what matters most to them. Leaders who encourage teams to act based on their values replace emotional uncertainty with clarity and conviction.
💡 Try this: In tough moments, ask: What decision reflects our values? Leading with integrity builds long-term resilience.

4. Embrace Challenges as a Team
Resilience grows through shared experiences. When leaders foster a culture where challenges are faced collectively, stress becomes an opportunity to build trust and teamwork.
💡 Try this: Encourage a team challenge mindset: This is tough, but we’re tackling it together. What’s our game plan?

5. Shift the View: Challenge, Not Crisis
Stressful situations don’t automatically lead to burnout. The way people interpret difficulty determines whether they feel defeated or driven. Leaders who frame obstacles as challenges help their teams develop mental toughness and adaptability.
💡 Try this: If someone says, “This is stressful,” shift the perspective: This is difficult, but how can we grow from it? Seeing challenges as learning moments builds long-term confidence.

Final Thought: Grow Where You’re Planted
Just like resilient plants adapt to extreme conditions, leaders can help their teams develop strength by shifting mindsets, focusing on controllables, and reinforcing values and purpose. The goal isn’t to eliminate stress—it’s to grow stronger through it.
​
What’s one way you can reframe a current challenge as an opportunity for growth?

Submitted by Dorothy Watson @ www.mentalwellnesscenter.info

Leadership is more than managing people—it’s about managing energy. And yet, most leaders treat their energy like an unlimited resource—until they hit a wall.
If you’ve ever ended a day wondering, “Why am I exhausted when I didn’t even get to the most important work?”—you’re not alone.
The problem isn’t just workload. It’s energy mismanagement.
Enter The Energy Audit—a simple yet powerful way to reclaim your focus, optimize your leadership, and prevent burnout before it happens.

The Problem: Leaders Drain Energy in the Wrong Places
Many leaders burn out not because they’re doing too much, but because they’re spending energy on the wrong things.
🔹 Too much ‘reactive work’ (emails, meetings, putting out fires).
🔹 Too little ‘high-impact work’ (strategic thinking, coaching, development).
🔹 Emotional overload from solving problems that aren’t theirs to solve.
🔹 A lack of recovery time—always ‘on’ and never recharging.
When time and energy don’t align, performance and well-being suffer.

The Fix: The Leadership Energy Audit
A simple 3-step process to assess, recalibrate, and refocus.
1️⃣ Audit Where Your Energy is Going
For one week, track what drains vs. fuels your energy. Ask yourself:
✅ What tasks or interactions energize me?
✅ What activities drain me the most?
✅ How much of my energy is going to reactive vs. proactive work?
A quick way to check: At the end of each workday, give each activity a (+) or (-) next to it based on whether it fueled or drained you.

2️⃣ Identify the Energy Traps
Once you track your energy patterns, you’ll start seeing what’s stealing your fuel. Common culprits:
🚨 The Overcommitment Spiral – Saying ‘yes’ too often, leaving little time for deep work.
🚨 The ‘Firefighter’ Syndrome – Constantly putting out urgent (but unimportant) fires.
🚨 The ‘Invisible Load’ – Carrying stress that belongs to others (team, staff, students).
🚨 Decision Fatigue – Wasting energy on minor decisions instead of delegating.
Noticing these patterns is the first step to changing them.

3️⃣ Reallocate Your Energy for Maximum Impact
Once you know what drains and fuels you, shift your energy investment.
✅ Reduce or eliminate low-impact, high-drain tasks (delegate, automate, or say no).
✅ Schedule high-energy activities at peak performance times.
✅ Build in energy resets—even 5-minute breaks, movement, or switching environments can make a difference.
✅ Create clear boundaries—protect time for deep, high-impact work.
💡 Pro Tip: Treat energy like a budget—if you overspend on small drains, you won’t have enough left for what really matters.

Real-Life Leadership in Action
⚡ An athletic director noticed their entire day was spent answering emails, attending meetings, and handling last-minute ‘urgent’ issues—leaving no time for strategic planning. After doing an Energy Audit, they shifted to blocking out 90 minutes of uninterrupted ‘deep work’ time each morning—leading to better decisions and less stress.
⚡ A business leader found themselves mentally drained after back-to-back Zoom meetings, making it hard to focus on important initiatives. Their fix? Scheduling 10-minute ‘energy resets’ between meetings—quick walks, stretching, or stepping away from screens—leading to improved focus and clarity.
⚡ A school principal realized they were absorbing everyone else’s stress—teachers, students, and parents—leaving them emotionally exhausted. Their solution? A daily ‘reset’ moment before heading home—reflecting on wins instead of just problems—so work stress didn’t spill into their personal life.

How to Apply It This Week
1️⃣ Track your energy for 5 days – Write down what fuels vs. drains you.
2️⃣ Identify patterns – Spot your biggest energy traps.
3️⃣ Make one change – Reduce an energy drain or increase an energy boost.
4️⃣ Build energy resets into your day – Small shifts = big impact.

The Leadership Takeaway
Next-level leadership is about optimizing energy for the work that truly matters. By running an Energy Audit, leaders can prevent burnout, boost performance, and create a culture that thrives—without running on empty.
🚀 What’s one change you could make this week to protect your energy? Hit reply and let me know!

Ever wonder why pilots rely on radar, even when they can see clearly? Because some things aren’t visible until you actively look for them.
Leadership works the same way. What you see—someone’s attitude, engagement, or performance—is only part of the picture. But what about the pressure, stress, or personal challenges they aren’t vocalizing?
If you’re only responding to what’s visible on the surface, you might misinterpret what’s actually going on. Great leaders train themselves to tune in like a radar, picking up on the signals others might miss.

The Problem: What You See Isn’t Always the Full Story
People don’t walk into work as blank slates. They bring stress, emotions, personal struggles, and external pressures with them. But because most of these remain invisible, leaders sometimes react to what they see without considering what’s driving that behavior.
🔹 A normally engaged team member seems distant.
🔹 An employee who’s always on top of things misses a detail.
🔹 Someone seems less enthusiastic than usual.
If we take these moments at face value, we might assume they don’t care, they’re disengaged, or they aren’t capable. But more often than not, the real issue is something unseen—outside of our immediate awareness.

The Fix: How to Use Your Leadership Radar
Before reacting, take a leadership pause and ask yourself:
✅ What signals am I picking up beyond what’s obvious?
✅ Is there stress, pressure, or something personal affecting their performance?
✅ How can I support them—without making assumptions?
This simple check-in can turn frustration into curiosity and build trust instead of tension.

Real-Life Leadership in Action
📡 A school principal notices a top-performing teacher struggling with engagement. Instead of assuming burnout, they pull them aside and say, “I’ve noticed you seem a little off lately—what’s going on?” The teacher shares they’re managing a difficult situation at home. A simple conversation leads to small workload adjustments, preventing further stress and disengagement.
📡 A fan experience leader sees an event staffer who is usually full of energy seeming disengaged. Instead of jumping to conclusions, they check in: “You’re usually the spark in the room. What’s taking up most of your energy today?” The employee shares they didn’t sleep well due to a sick child. A quick recognition of their effort lifts their energy, and they finish the shift strong.
📡 When I was a head football coach, I once got after one of my athletes when he was late for practice. I mean, I really got after him—I was not nice. After I finally let him talk, he shared that he had just found out his grandmother had died. From that experience, I learned to always start by asking, “Is everything okay?”

How to Apply It This Week
1️⃣ Start Conversations with a Simple Check-In – Instead of asking “How are you?” (which gets automatic responses), try “What’s taking up most of your energy today?”
2️⃣ Look for Signals Beyond the Surface – Is someone quieter than usual? Rushing through tasks? Instead of assuming, ask.
3️⃣ Create a Safe Space for Honest Answers – When people feel safe to share, you’ll get real insight instead of a “fine” or “good.”
4️⃣ Turn Awareness into Action – Small adjustments—offering flexibility, shifting a deadline, or even just showing you care—can boost engagement and trust.

The Leadership Takeaway
The best leaders train themselves to pick up on the signals beneath the surface. When leaders ask better questions and lead with curiosity, they turn assumptions into awareness and create teams that feel seen, valued, and supported.
I would love to hear how do you check in with your team beyond surface-level interactions? Reply and let me know!

At only age 22, Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves has been exhibiting traits of an NBA veteran. Beyond his remarkable basketball skill set, Ant is vividly demonstrating high levels of emotional intelligence as a leader. Here is a brief analysis based on an emotional intelligence competency coupled with a specific behavior. 

Self-Awareness: (Ei competency)
Responds effectively to feedback provided to them. (specific behavior)
Although he doesn’t always love the feedback officials share, Ant craves coaching from the Timberwolves staff and feedback from his teammates. When he receives it, he expresses gratitude. He is locked in and gives his own verbal and nonverbal feedback–he then puts the information shared with him into action. When asked about his thoughts on coach Chris Finch, Edwards discussed how he appreciates that Finch holds everyone accountable: “We all listen to him, look up to him, and he does a great job of making sure we’re ready to go every night." Ant wants to be pushed to maximize his potential. 

Authenticity: Is open about their thoughts, feelings, and opinions.
Ant is definitely authentic, and the world is embracing it. He may use colorful language at times, but his message is one of belief in his coaches, teammates, and himself. And his gratitude for the fanbase of the Timberwolves is ever-present in his dialogue and actions. 

Self-Management: Learns from mistakes, strives to improve their own performance, and adapts to new circumstances. 
It is no secret that teams work to try to stifle Edward’s performance. Their theory: you stop Ant, you have a chance at stopping the Wolves. However, what has become apparent is that Edwards can adapt. Throughout the season, he has become better and better at reading the situation and making the right decisions–even if that means he doesn’t lead the team in scoring. 

Inspiring Performance: Helps you understand your purpose and contribution to the organization.
Fans have been fortunate enough to hear Ant while he has been mic’d up during the season–and in the flow of the game, during dead balls, and within timeouts–he lifts others up by promoting their strengths. The Western Conference Semifinals were full of instances where Edwards told teammates that he would find them when he was doubled, shared that he believed in them, and he encouraged them to keep shooting. 

Awareness of Others: Makes others feel appreciated.
This is the one that stands out the most to me. Edwards consistently praises and recognizes his teammates in press conferences and interviews. He expresses truthful and heartfelt appreciation for what his teammates add to the Wolves. He has been quoted telling teammates, “I want you to shine.”  Specifically, Jaden McDaniels has been mentioned over and over again by Ant as being an integral cog of the team. After the game 6 win over the Denver Nuggets, Ant was asked what he thought of the team’s response. Pointing to McDaniels, Edwards said, “This guy right here–he led us tonight . . . everybody on our team is a leader, and he was our leader tonight.” As Edwards was talking, the camera panned to a very visibly proud and thankful McDaniels. There is an old adage: what gets praised gets repeated, and in game 7–guess what?--McDaniels did it again . . . helping to lead the Wolves to a trip to the 2024 Western Conference Finals. Appreciation matters. 

How people feel impacts how well they can perform, and Anthony Edwards is elevating the performance of the entire Timberwolves organization through emotionally intelligent leadership. 

If you haven't had the chance to watch HBO's Hard Knocks featuring the Miami Dolphins, you're missing out on an emotionally intelligent leadership clinic. Head Coach Mike McDaniel consistently demonstrates Ei behaviors that elevate everyone around him. I know, I know . . .  I'm sure they don't show viewers everything, but based on what we can see in the series, during games, and during press conferences, here are my Top 10 Mike McDaniel Ei Leadership Behaviors:

1. He understand the impact his behavior has on others. It is obvious that Coach McDaniel understands his behavior matters. He chooses his words and actions carefully understanding and embracing his role as a leader. A specific example involves the understanding that football is imperfect. Rather than yelling about mistakes, he focuses more time on players move to the next play. 
2. He makes others feel appreciated through constant genuine and sincere feedback. He celebrates small wins every chance he gets. But it is not just fluff--it is truthful and specific. 
3. He notices when others need support and responds effectively. McDaniel has a knack for seeing when players are struggling, and he works to pick them up with true evidence of their ability and past performance. He works to remind them that their current circumstances are not the end of their story. 
4. He is open and honest about his thoughts, feelings, and opinions. He is willing to be vulnerable; he acknowledges others' fears and shares his own. His willingness to share his bout with addiction also falls into this category. Even with the press, he is genuine: he speaks his truth. 
5. He is open and honest about mistakes. There are many instances where McDaniel acknowledges he called a bad play or did not put players in a situation to be successful. He owns his mistakes, and I think players model his behavior. 
6. He consults others in decision-making. One example of this is his conversations with his offensive players where he asks them for ideas of effective plays and potential adjustments. He listens and takes action. That is the big thing: taking action. You can ask for opinions all day long, but if you never use any of them, people will stop giving them. 
7. He manages his emotions effectively in difficult situations. Things don't always go as planned. Even when things go wrong, we don't see McDaniel losing his cool. He is a stable, calming presence at practice and games. 
8. He demonstrates a positive, energizing demeanor. You'll see him celebrating success, singing, dancing, and having fun at work. Even at tough press conferences, he is able to energize the room. His fun-loving personality is evident in circumstances like his sprinting off the field from the cameras. 
9. He maintains a positive work environment. It is obvious that Coach McDaniel has fun at work and he tries to get others to find joy as well. He also gives his staff members opportunities to address the team. He shares the stage and models how a team works together through his coaching staff. 
10. He recognizes others’ hard work and achievements. McDaniel and his staff find ways to recognize the improvement and achievements. Cakes for big plays are one unique way they celebrate success. What you focus on, you get more of! 

What can we learn? There are many ways to foster a positive culture. Coach McDaniel works to create an environment where players and coaches can maximize their potential. He truly creates a positive upward spiral in the organization, and a lot of it stems from his high level of emotional intelligence. 

Tip #1: Elevate Through Stillness--Practice Mindfulness
One of the best ways to take control of your own emotions and your reactions to others' emotions is to take time to do. . . well . . nothing. Taking time to create stillness in your own mind will help you recharge and gain awareness of the present moment. Here are two simple breathing exercises to get started on your mindfulness journey: 
2 Minutes of Breath: Set a timer on your phone or computer for two minutes. Simply count the number of breaths you take over that time. Close your eyes and take deep breaths. If your mind wanders, acknowledge it without judgment, and resume counting on the next breath. If you forget what number you are on, don’t worry. . . simply start again at number one–again, without judgment. 
Square Breathing: This technique follows a series of four-second intervals: breath in for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 4 seconds, release for 4 seconds, and relax for 4 seconds. Repeat the process 4 times. 
What’s the advantage? Some of the benefits of consistently engaging in mindfulness meditation include decreased emotional reactivity, elevated self-awareness, reduced stress, improved focus, and increased positive relationships.

 Tip #2: Terminate “Good Job”
When you want to offer praise to an individual or group, one phrase that has little to no impact is “good job”. Instead give truthful and specific feedback whenever possible. 
Here are some "meh" and "GREAT" examples:
Meh: Good job on that report.  
GREAT: I really appreciated the effort and attention to detail you had on the X report. It was easy to follow and you included information I never thought about. It was fantastic!
Meh: Good job with that tough client. 
GREAT: I saw how you handled that difficult situation with the X team.  Your ability to listen, empathize, and provide solutions was exactly what the situation needed. 
What’s the advantage? When you dive into the details, your team members know you care about the time and effort they are investing. It helps you develop positive relationships and connect on a deeper level. When your team feels valued and cared for, they are happier at work, and their performance will continue to grow.

TIP #1: CREATE A POSITIVE RIPPLE EFFECT FROM THE INSIDE OUT
Work to cultivate a positive attitude that will naturally create a ripple effect. We are naturally wired to search for threats, so seeing the negative comes easy. To combat this default, here are two ways to intentionally work to reprogram the way our brain scans the world:
WWW or What Went Well: for the next 30 days, write down 3 things that went well each day. Bonus strategy: review the entire list each day prior to adding more. 
Gratitude Tracking: for the next 30 days, write down 3 NEW things you are grateful for each day. 
By the end of the 30 days, it will be like you turned an app on in your brain that scans the world for the positive. 
What’s the advantage? When you are in a positive state, it ripples out to your entire team. Studies show that positive emotions ripple out at least 3 degrees past the initiator.

 TIP #2: CREATE A GRATITUDE SYSTEM
Create a consistent process for your team to express appreciation to each other. This could be as simple as a “Post-It note on the wall” system, or something more intricate like a shared Google Form each week. At one of my former teaching positions, the principal would share a "Shout-Outs" Google Form mid-week, people would fill it out, and he would share the messages of gratitude with the entire staff in his weekly newsletter. Not that the other information wasn’t important, but most people jumped down the newsletter to read the Shout-Outs first.
What’s the advantage? Expressing gratitude gives a positivity boost to both the giver and receiver. When you are in a positive state as opposed to a negative, neutral, or stressed state, things like energy, intelligence, productivity, and creativity all increase. Expressing gratitude also fosters positive relationships. 

​WHO ARE GENOS INTERNATIONAL?
We are a global team of change-makers using emotional intelligence to enhance how we connect, communicate and collaborate at work. Transforming these essential people skills at work also makes a difference to peoples’ relationships outside of the workplace. People become better parents, partners, siblings and friends. That’s why we call our work game changing for business, life changing for people.

MORE:
Using Genos Ei solutions enables our clients to overcome some of their biggest organizational challenges like:
Improving leadership and culture
Delivering transformational change
Collaborating more effectively in teams
Increasing sales and customer service
And to build mentally healthy workplaces.

WHY GENOS OVER OTHER EI ASSESSMENTS?
Similar to other EI assessments, Genos measures:
1. Self-awareness
2. Awareness of Others
3. Self-Management
4. Inspiring Performance 

Genos not only measures how well people demonstrate emotionally intelligent leadership behavior but ALSO how important it is to do so in a given context. Leadership, and in particular Leadership Behavior is relentlessly contextual. Our importance ratings help ensure/validate that the behaviors measured are important in a particular context at a particular point in time. This helps drive higher engagement with results and better levels of behavior change as an outcome.

WHAT MAKES GENOS UNIQUE? Genos also measures two very important competencies that other EI solutions do not.
The first is Authenticity. This competency helps drive a culture of openness, speaking up, expressing views, opinions and concerns effectively. It helps drive a culture of appropriate vulnerability. Without it organizations can develop a culture of artificial harmony and fear of confrontation where people don’t feel comfortable to speak up. In short Authenticity helps drive psychological safety. This is a big benefit for using Genos solutions. The second is Emotional Reasoning. This competency helps drive effective decision-making. Emotions both help and hinder decisions and this competency helps ensure leaders make decisions that are effective for the organization and people. Without emotional reasoning you can experience significant negative behavior in the workplace.

THE SINGLE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE:
Our reports come in an innovative digital format that allows individuals to go through their report in a self-paced learning format, taking them from results to action planning. This means reports do not all need to be personally debriefed by executive coaches.

If you are interesting in learning more, let's connect!
Send me a message at [email protected] or check out www.duanejourdeans.com/ei.

Created in collaboration with Genos International.