Edition 2025.08.07
In this issue: Your emotions don’t stop with you—they shape the system you lead. This week, Judith, Bob, and the LiveWright Team explore how emotional presence flows outward, becoming the architecture of culture: building trust, sparking innovation, and fueling lasting growth.
Featuring insights from Judith, Bob, and the LiveWright Team.
Your emotions don’t stay contained—they broadcast. Whether you speak them or not, they set the emotional tone your team will follow.
We often think culture is built by strategy, structure, or vision. But it’s just as often built by something quieter: the emotions leaders bring into the room.
In one of our leadership programs, a woman shared that she rarely expressed excitement—believing it looked unprofessional. She thought she was modeling composure. But what her team mirrored back was hesitation. Wins went uncelebrated, and energy stayed flat. When she began showing authentic joy, her team lit up. They collaborated more boldly, innovated more freely, and the culture shifted—not because of a new policy, but because of her presence.
The emotions you hide don’t vanish. They architect the atmosphere of your team. Which means you always have a choice: unconsciously broadcast avoidance, or consciously broadcast congruence.
Try This: The Inner-to-Outer Connection Check
1. Before your next meeting, name one emotion you’re carrying in.
2. Ask: What town does this create for others?
3. Choose one authentic way to embody or express it.
When you pause to connect your inner state with your outer expression, you set a tone that energizes your team, builds trust, and fosters a culture where people feel safe to engage and contribute fully.
Want to learn how emotional congruence transforms influence? Schedule your clarity call here.
One More Thought:
You can’t fake presence. The emotions you allow become the culture you lead.
LiveWright, with authentic joy that fuels connection and culture,
Dr. Judith Wright
If you want a culture of openness, you must model it first. Your emotional alignment sets the ceiling for how deep your team will go.
It’s easy to talk about building a “connected culture.” But the real question is this: “Am I emotionally connected to myself in the moment I’m leading others?”
I once coached a CEO who was admired for being “steady.” His board loved his composure—but his team quietly disengaged. They couldn’t read his passion, frustrations, or vision. His neutrality created distance.
When he began practicing congruence—acknowedging disappointment, expressing real excitement—his team leaned in. Trust wasn’t lost with emotion; it was built.
Disconnection starts small: ignoring fatigue, downplaying disappointment, rushing past joy. Over time, that inner split becomes visible—your team feels it, even if they can’t name it.
Try This: Emotional Congruence Self-Scan
1. Choose a recurring meeting.
2. Afterward, ask: Was what I felt… what I showed?
3. If not, what truth was I avoiding? What would integration look like next time?
By doing this scan, you’ll spot the gaps between what you feel and what you show, so that you can consciously close them to create trust, draw your team closer, and build a culture grounded in authenticity.
Want to align your leadership from the inside out?
Book a discovery call.
Remember: Culture follows congruence. When you align your inner and outer presence, your team connects, trusts, and follows more fully.
LiveWright, with emotional congruence that deepens trust and leadership,
Dr. Bob Wright
Want a culture of truth, trust, and innovation? It starts with leaders who practice emotional presence.
Disconnection doesn’t begin in strategy—it begins in self-avoidance. When leaders fake composure, teams stop telling the truth. When leaders shut down, people disengage.
In one leadership cohort, meetings looked smooth and polite—but innovation had flatlined. When leaders began introducing emotional honesty rituals—simple check-ins like, “What are you feeling right now?”—everything changed. Conflicts surfaced and were resolved. Wins were celebrated with genuine energy. Creativity returned. The culture didn’t lose professionalism—it gained vitality.
When leaders model emotional honesty, congruence, and self-awareness, the whole system shifts.
Try This: The Connection Cascade
Before your next team moment—Slack, Zoom, or boardroom—pause and ask:
– Am I in contact with what I feel right now?.
– What tone am I unconsciously sending?
– What signal do I want to architect for this culture?
Practicing this cascade makes your presence intentional—not accidental. You’ll set a tone that sparks honesty, energizes collaboration, and builds a culture where innovation and trust can thrive.
Want to lead a team built on truth, trust, and emotional intelligence?
Attend our upcoming webinar on The Neuroscience of Purpose and learn more about purpose and leadership.
Final Thought: Culture is not built by policy—it’s built by presence. Lead with self-contact, and the system rises with you.
You can’t outsource culture. It begins with your emotions. Lead yourself with honesty and others will follow—openly, courageously, and with trust.
LiveWright, with emotional clarity that turns connection into culture,
Dr. Bob, Dr. Judith, and the whole LiveWright Team