Lump
“I am a sentimental guy, and occasionally, that lump in my throat when I speak has stopped my tongue from working.”
- Arnold Palmer
Somewhere along the way, I learned that showing any kind of emotion was a sign of weakness. An indication that I didn’t have appropriate control over my emotions. That one brick wrestled loose might bring the whole wall down. But diving deeply into my faith, building an intimate marriage, and parenting six kids, tapped me into that well-hidden reservoir.
One of the unique things about our family culture is that we host regular family movie nights. Finding movies that meet our standards for good storytelling, redemptive perspective, and production quality, but that aren’t too assaulting to the more conservative and faith-based values we carry, is challenging.
Our children have learned that mom and I are increasingly comfortable with showing the emotions we’re feeling. When either the kids or I get a lump in our throat, we know that turning to mom will likely find tears. Being of similar heart and mind means that whatever we are deeply feeling is felt by the others.
We’re finding something similar playing out in our client interactions. Restoration and transformation are very close to the heart of God. They are part of our heartbeat as well. When we hear a client talk about the change they are experiencing or the victory and success they are finding, the lump in my throat or the one in another team members is typically met by the others.
We’ve even caught one another, in the middle of a group interaction with a leadership team, trying to hold back more obvious displays of emotion. One lump in the throat matching another. I no longer see this as a sign of weakness, but an incredible confirmation of how deeply we feel about the success of the people we are humbled to serve as coaches.
We actively cultivate the expression of success and celebration.
Most leaders we know are so painfully aware of their challenges and difficulties that they can’t see most of the glory that is unfolding all around them. As they celebrate and feel the pride of their accomplishments, it provides momentum, encouragement, and inspiration to others and themselves.
It is the necessary fuel required for the next leg of their journeys.
We want to teach them to celebrate their team’s success the same way we are celebrating theirs. To experience their own deep-seated emotion for their team’s success that we are experiencing for them.
Consider
- Are you comfortable with feeling and expressing emotion? (We continually encourage leaders to show their teams the depths of their passion and conviction.)
- Who helps you celebrate your success?
- Who challenges you to do the same for your team? (Ironically, the most affordable form of motivation is also the most effective. Sadly, it is incredibly rare in most businesses.)