Awareness, Trust and Connection - How Emotional "Guide-Posting" can help.

I don’t know if you feel the same way, but as leaders, parents, and human beings, we often find ourselves navigating a vast range of emotions—both our own and those of others. For leaders, it’s our teams; for parents, it’s our kids; and in the moments when we’re not wearing either of these hats, it’s our families, friends, peers, and colleagues.

I believe the real challenge lies not just in managing emotions but in truly understanding and identifying them with clarity. I call this Emotional Guide posting—a set of markers that helps us tune into our feelings and those of others, guiding our responses in any given situation.

To enhance this approach, I like to use Marc Brackett’s Mood Meter, a powerful tool that helps us recognise and categorise emotions. I’ve found—and perhaps you have too—that by understanding these emotional cues, we’re better equipped to lead with empathy, authenticity, and impact.

Why Emotional Guideposts Are So Crucial?

Before we dive into the Mood Meter, I want to share why I believe Emotional Guideposts are essential, especially if you’re in a position of influence.

Our actions often reflect our emotional state. When we’re stressed, the energy in the room shifts; when we’re calm and confident, those around us feel more secure. Emotional Guideposts provide a framework for recognising emotions and understanding their impact, enabling us to respond with clarity and intention rather than reacting impulsively.

Another reason this tool is so powerful is that it not only helps you identify your own emotions but also gives you insight into your team’s emotional state. It serves as a guide for tuning into the emotions present in a room or conversation, allowing you to respond thoughtfully rather than being caught off guard. By cultivating this awareness, you’re better equipped to create an environment where people feel seen, understood, and supported.

So, What Is the Mood Meter?

Marc Brackett’s Mood Meter is a simple tool that maps emotions based on two axes: energy and pleasantness. The Mood Meter divides emotions into four colour-coded quadrants:

• Red: High energy, low pleasantness (e.g., anger, frustration)
• Blue: Low energy, low pleasantness (e.g., sadness, disappointment)
• Green: Low energy, high pleasantness (e.g., calm, balanced)
• Yellow: High energy, high pleasantness (e.g., excitement, joy)

How to Use Emotional Guideposts with the Mood Meter

Here are some helpful ways to use it for yourself and others:

Tune into Your Own Emotions First

Start by using the Mood Meter to identify where you are emotionally. Ask yourself: Where am I on the Mood Meter right now? This helps you acknowledge and accept your emotions, whether they are positive or challenging. Once identified, connect this emotional state to an Emotional Guidepost. For example:

If you’re in the Red Quadrant (e.g., frustration), your guidepost might be: “Pause before speaking.”

If you’re in the Green Quadrant (e.g., calm), your guidepost could be: “Maintain steady and open communication.”

If you have a team Recognise and Validate Your Team’s Emotions

Observing your team’s emotions using the Mood Meter can help you understand their state of mind. Are they in the Blue Quadrant (e.g., low energy, low pleasantness) after a tough meeting? Or perhaps they’re in the Yellow Quadrant (e.g., high energy, high pleasantness) after a successful milestone? Use Emotional Guideposts to address their emotions constructively.

For instance, if your team is feeling anxious (Red Quadrant), a guidepost might be: “Acknowledge concerns, then focus on solutions together.”

Adjust Your Responses Based on the Emotional Landscape

The Mood Meter is a snapshot; it shows where emotions currently are, not where they need to stay. Your Emotional Guideposts can help shift the emotional landscape.

If your team is feeling low energy (Blue Quadrant), try increasing engagement with a collaborative discussion.

If you’re sensing high energy and excitement (Yellow Quadrant), guide that energy toward creative brainstorming or action planning.

Engaging Your Team with the Mood Meter

Observation and personal awareness are impactful and essential if you want to get the best out of yourself and others. Engaging others—whether your team, kids, peers, or partner—directly with the Mood Meter is equally powerful; proponents of empowerment would even argue it’s more impactful. Let me explain why this is so effective.

When you start a meeting or one-on-one conversation by asking where each person sits on the Mood Meter, along with a word to describe how they’re feeling, you encourage openness and vulnerability. This approach removes the need for assumptions and gives you a true understanding of their current state of mind. Once you have this insight, you can tailor your communication and responses—or better still, ask them what kind of support or guidance would help them shift their state or maintain it, if it’s serving them well.

I’m sure you’d agree this is empowerment in action—giving others the tools and support they need to navigate their emotions constructively and perform at their best.

Emotional Guideposts, paired with the Mood Meter, will help you deepen self-awareness, empathy, and connection. They will also enable you to proactively manage emotional responses, creating a psychologically safe environment. Many of the leaders I have shared this tool with tell me that Emotional Guide Posting has also helped build trust, resilience, and a culture where respect and confidence grow, creating stronger and more cohesive teams.

I trust this has been helpful in some way, shape, or form. 

Until next week, be well and lead well!

Kylie

Kylie Paatsch Leadership Coach, Consultant, and Facilitator, passionate about unlocking the potential in leaders, teams, and organisations. Through personalised one-on-one coaching and interactive workshops—both in person and online—I offer simple, practical, and personally tested tools and techniques to help you lead with confidence and build a strong team culture.

If you are interested in learning more about what I do and how I might be able to help, please send me a direct message or email kylie@kyliepaatsch.com.au