Emotion Is a Leadership Data Point

Work is a marathon and not a sprint. That's worth remembering as we take a look at the state of things following a tumultuous year. While the last year may have been hard on many organizations and individuals, it's important to take the long view. We may feel stressed, overworked and burnt out, but the crisis we're living through is actually an opportunity to re-imagine what work can be, says Mary Slaughter, managing director of people advisory services at EY. The sense of isolation that we've all been through gives us an opportunity to reconnect with one another and be more purposeful in our relationships at home and at work. And for leaders, it's a chance to step back and think about how to be better. "They've been equipped to have briefings with investors and analysts and the board of directors and to come in with PowerPoint decks that are filled with charts and spreadsheets and numbers," Mary says. "And just this understanding that emotion is a data point the same way that ROI is — it tells you something about the health and well being of your organization." In this episode, Mary breaks down the state of our psychology at work. Highlights of the conversation include: What the last year of isolation and remote work has done to our emotional well being. Why the experience of working through the pandemic has the chance to create lasting change. How leadership is being redefined in a more humanistic and realistic way. How organizations can better support employees in the long term. Plus co-hosts Mike Prokopeak and Siobhan Fagan alternate being glass half full and half empty when it comes to the future of work, and break down their takeaways for leadership during this great transformation. Listen in to find out more. Have a suggestion, comment or topic for a future episode? Drop us a line at [email protected].