Greg Stevenson explains how a leader's posture, eye contact, and demeanor set the emotional tone of a meeting before anyone speaks. Your team mirrors your state, so pause before entering and ask what climate you're bringing.
Your team knows what kind of day it is going to be before you say a word. They read it off you. The set of your shoulders, whether you made eye contact, whether you seem here or somewhere else. You're always broadcasting a state and your team is always reading it. You walk in tight and the room will go tight. You walk in steady and the room will steady. You do not get a vote on whether you are transmitting. You only get a say in what you send. So before the meeting, ask yourself one question most leaders never ask: what weather am I about to bring in here?
