Your ability to lead and create successful teams - both at work and at home - is determined by how willing you are to be with your own feelings.

Hear me out:

True connection with another person is an energetic exchange. People will deem you authentic or fake based on the feelings they experience when they are with you.

What they sense in your presence isn’t based on how you speak or act but rather the energy they receive from you subconsciously.

If people sense you are holding something back or being disingenuous, they are less likely to trust you. 

When they sense you are considerate, transparent and genuine, they are more likely to collaborate and be in team with you because these qualities give them another gift from you: psychological safety.

People who feel psychologically safe in your space will bring their best ideas and efforts forward, because their focus will be on the goal at hand instead of on efforts to dodge uncomfortable moments with you or to appease you. 

If you are committed to developing a psychologically safe space for your colleagues and family members, the easiest way to begin doing so is to recognize your own feelings and needs in private.

This act of self-reflection takes courage, but when you allow yourself to emote and ask for the support you need, you - in time - become an emotionally intelligent individual and leader.

In this act of courage, you become so in tune with who you are that you are easily able to trust yourself, your gut feelings, and your intuition.

This in turn increases your ability to trust your teammates - whether at home or at work - and the considerate nature, transparent decisiveness, and genuine care you exude will solidify their trust back in you.

If you haven't done so yet today, ask yourself, “What am I experiencing right now? What do I need in this moment?”