Clear Thinking Starts with Emotion: Why Leaders Get Stuck and How to Move Forward
Nov 14, 2025Most challenges at work can be solved by thinking clearly.
But in my experience, it’s rarely a lack of logic that holds leaders back.
It’s the emotion underneath the logic that quietly shapes their decisions.
Last year, I worked with the founder of a fast-growing U.S. company.
They’d reached that difficult stage where a senior leadership team was hired, and suddenly the founder had to shift from driving everything to leading through others.
On paper, everything was right:
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A clear strategy
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Defined metrics
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Strong expectations
Yet nothing was moving.
When we looked more closely, the real barrier surfaced.
The founder had already emotionally “banked” the value of their future exit.
And that emotional attachment was leaking into their behaviour.
It showed up as pressure, urgency, and internal defensiveness.
They were telling, not trusting.
Directing, not leading.
It all looked logical — but it wasn’t.
It was emotion disguised as logic.
Once we named what was happening and removed that emotion from the steering wheel, everything shifted.
They moved from:
β “Here’s what needs to change.”
to:
β
“What are you seeing?”
β
“How are you thinking about this?”
β
“What support do you need from me?”
The senior team stopped fearing mistakes.
They began problem-solving.
Ownership grew.
Momentum returned.
And ironically, that’s what will lead to the valuation the founder wanted in the first place.
When you remove the influence of negative emotion, the intelligence you already have can finally do its job.
If leaders want clarity, progress, and better decisions, they must first understand the emotional patterns shaping their behaviour.
That’s where real change begins.
Ready to Lead with More Clarity and Confidence?
If you’d like support developing this kind of emotional awareness in yourself or your team, contact Hooper Rees at
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