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A worried team gathered in a meeting room at “ITSecure” to address a recent security breach. The atmosphere was charged with anxiety. Evan, the team’s manager, began the meeting with a sharp tone. He interrogated each team member individually, asking, “How did this happen? What do you suggest to fix this?” He had a retort and reprimand for every response offered by the team. Accusations and defensiveness swirled as the team debated remediation plans. Evan’s stress was evident to all.
Purdue researchers Geoffrey VanderPal and Randy Brazie examined how managers’ autonomic stress responses influence how they respond to workplace stresses and how those responses help or hinder organizational performance. Evan’s approach demonstrated emotionally reactive leadership, characterized by knee-jerk responses to problems, a focus on control and an emphasis on short-term solutions. In Evan’s case, his reactivity escalated his team’s stress and hampered swift resolution.
Fortunately, as the meeting wore on, Evan began to notice his effect on the team. He suddenly recalled a recent session with his executive coach and paused. He took a deep breath and shifted his approach. He asked again for team members’ input. But this time, he did not interrupt or snap back. He took notes and then validated and built on the team’s ideas. Slowly, the energy in the room shifted. Collaborative ideas began to flow, and a comprehensive plan emerged.
Evan’s change in demeanor diffused the tension. Team members’ self-protection gave way to collaboration as he focused on being present with followers, listening deeply and responding thoughtfully. I call Evan’s new approach responsive leadership, a topic Dr. Daniele Smith-Morton writes about as a means for improving project outcomes and strengthening team morale and cohesion.
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Developing responsive leadership
Responsive leadership involves balanced consideration of knowledge, logical reasoning and emotions, leading to responses that support the big picture. Responsive leadership is fostered when leaders develop three core traits:
1. Empathetic engagement: Responsive leaders consider their followers as the experts in their area. Therefore, these leaders actively listen and seek to understand their employees’ perspectives. This requires empathy and hearing what their team members are saying without getting personally involved. Empathetic engagement involves understanding and sharing the feelings of others, which helps leaders connect with their followers on a deeper level. Leaders can address underlying issues and support their team effectively by genuinely caring about their followers’ perspectives and well-being.
2. Nonreactivity: Instead of reacting impulsively to problems, responsive leaders take a step back, gather information by observing their thoughts and feelings without immediately reacting to them, and then thoughtfully and deliberately respond.
This approach reduces misunderstandings, promotes emotional balance in the face of stress, and is considered central to both mindfulness and emotional intelligence. These, in turn, lead to better outcomes for the organization. Smith-Morton teaches leaders in her work to be okay with what is happening rather than allowing anxiety, anger and frustration about the situation to take hold. Sometimes, this requires giving oneself time out to breathe, collect oneself and let the reactions rise and fall before proceeding.
3. Authentic presence: Authentic leadership presence is about being true to oneself while leading others. Leadership researchers Bruce Avolio and William Gardner explained that this involves self-awareness, relational transparency and balanced decision-making. Practicing authentic leadership requires openness, ethical behavior and consistent self-reflection. Accordingly, receptive leaders are present in the here-and-now with leaders, taking care to be fully engaged and genuine in their interactions with followers, culminating in an environment where followers feel valued and respected.
A helpful metaphor for how reactive versus responsive leaders operate is Chris Argyris and Peter Senge’s Ladder of Inference model, which demonstrates our steps from observation to action. Reactive leaders generally leap to the top of the ladder based on assumptions and incomplete or biased information. In contrast, responsive leaders take the time to ascend slowly, gathering more data, questioning their assumptions and seeking to understand different perspectives before taking action. This deliberate approach reduces misunderstandings and fosters a more thoughtful and inclusive decision-making process.
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Leaders who demonstrate responsiveness versus reactivity tend to produce several important organizational outcomes, such as:
1. Enhanced trust: Leaders’ authentic presence, active listening and genuine concern for followers’ well-being naturally build strong, trust-based interpersonal relationships and a trusting environment. My own experience as a leader and consultant within organizations across sectors and industries is that being engaged and staying in the moment with another person creates a mutual sense of interpersonal safety, connection and respect, leading to deeper understanding, collaboration and support.
2. Improved Team Morale and Performance: A responsive leader who demonstrates authenticity, empathy and nonreactivity creates a positive atmosphere that helps team members feel valued and heard. In turn, followers’ morale, job satisfaction, motivation, engagement and productivity rise. They are more likely to engage positively and contribute meaningfully to the organization’s goals.
3. Better Decision-Making: Leaders make more informed and inclusive decisions by considering diverse perspectives and gathering comprehensive information. This thoughtful approach minimizes errors and promotes innovative solutions, enhancing the organization’s ability to adapt and thrive. Morton-Smith explained that people seek to really understand what is happening when they feel triggered. They can get to the root cause of what’s really going on.
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The power of the responsive leader lies in their ability to move beyond reactivity to foster empathy, trust, understanding and higher performance within their organization. The techniques discussed in this article provide a roadmap for leaders who aspire to cultivate a culture of acceptance, collaboration and collective problem-solving. As leaders embrace these practices, they will enhance their effectiveness and drive their organizations toward greater success and fulfillment.
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