Be the Message – Use Your Superpowers for the Good!
How often do our moods infect others? Becoming aware of how mood affects those with whom you interact is a fundamental principle of leadership. As a leader, we must make a conscious choice about how we choose to use our mood to lift up or negatively infect others.
Mood is an emotional state, an attitudinal state of being, that can be controlled or regulated. It is most often a choice. Do we allow life events to impact our mood when interacting with those around us? How we respond to conflict, stress, and/or disappointment varies but we CHOOSE whether or not we “lay” our mood on others.
The truth is WE ALL HAVE SUPERPOWERS that we can use for the good or bad. It is up to us how we choose to use them. Those around us can either feel good or bad as a result of our nonverbal message. Body posture, facial expression, gestures, and tone sum up the nonverbal message that sends a “translatable” neon sign to others. What message or mood are you known for?
How we communicate our personal message to others is made up of word choice, nonverbal expressions, and tone. We think words carry the most weight of our message. NOT SO. Up to 90% of our message is communicated through tone and non-verbals. Let that sink it – 90%! The words carry only 10%.
Is it time to self-check in the mirror to see the message looking back at you?
Reflect on these thoughts as we contemplate the integrity of our message…
What moods are you “known” to infect others with at work? At home?
Could a shift in your mood improve cooperation and decrease conflict with those around you?
When our external message and internal emotions are aligned, we tell a powerful nonverbal story. When the two are misaligned, we appear hollow and disingenuous. If not mindful, we can send unintended or unwanted messages to others. Be aware so that you use your superpowers for the good!
Your message is not just your words. It is comprised of your words, demeanor, tone, and all of the signals sent through your nonverbal communication. Be the message you want others to send!
Elevate your superpowers for the good…