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Lead Calmer. Think Clearer. Perform Better.

Leading with Love 1 day

When people feel stressed, their emotional brain takes over and shuts down clear thinking, decision-making, and creativity. Leading with Love is a one-day online course that shows leaders how to create emotional stability, even during times of pressure.

Available as live online training via Microsoft Teams, or as bespoke in-house training tailored to your organisation.

★★★★★
"The course was very informative and interesting and I learnt a lot on how to put things across in a leaner, more constructive way to keep the colleague interested in my training methods." - Carl Richardson, Booker
Quality Training
Established 1997
6 CPD Hours
Delivery Options Upcoming Dates

Course Overview

Lead with emotional intelligence to unlock your team's full potential

To be successful we must be productive. And our productivity is influenced strongly by emotions. Stress is not just a feeling; it is a major cause of lost productivity. When people feel stressed or threatened, their emotional brain takes over and shuts down clear thinking, rational decision-making and creativity.

Leading with Love is a one-day course that explains how stress affects the brain and why people stop performing well when they feel under threat. You will learn about three parts of the brain: the rational brain, the emotional brain and the instinctive brain, and how each one controls different behaviours.

The course focuses on the emotional brain, which creates feelings that can either support or block the rational mind. When stress reactions kick in, the rational, productive mind automatically shuts down. That is why people under stress cannot think clearly, plan or solve problems.

By learning how to keep the emotional brain calm, leaders help their people feel safe, respected and motivated to do their best work. By helping people feel safe, respected and appreciated, leaders activate the full power of the rational brain and with it, more motivation, innovation and performance. This course is for anyone who wants to lead better by understanding the vital link between emotions and productivity.

Core Skills

The Key Skills Covered

This course is built around six practical skill sets drawn from the science of how the brain responds to stress. Developing these skills enables you to create emotional stability in your team, sustain high performance and lead with genuine authority even during difficult times.

  1. 1

    Understanding Stress and the Brain

    We explore how the three-brain model explains human behaviour under pressure. The rational brain is the seat of all productive performance; the emotional brain can either support or block it. Understanding this biology gives leaders the insight to manage situations more effectively rather than reacting instinctively.

  2. 2

    Recognising Emotional Distress Signals

    We learn to identify the three primary stress responses in the workplace: freeze (becoming paralysed and unable to act), flight (withdrawing or disengaging) and fight (becoming defensive or aggressive). Recognising these patterns quickly allows leaders to intervene with calm authority before performance deteriorates.

  3. 3

    Creating Emotional Safety

    Emotional safety is the foundation of high performance. When people feel safe, respected and appreciated, their emotional brain remains calm and their rational brain stays active. We cover the specific leadership behaviours and language patterns that create this state, and those that inadvertently destroy it.

  4. 4

    Leading People Through Change

    Change is one of the most common triggers of stress and emotional shutdown in teams. We cover how to use language and behaviour that protects clear thinking, builds confidence and helps people feel supported rather than threatened when the environment around them is shifting rapidly.

  5. 5

    Constructive Feedback and Communication

    Feedback given in a way that triggers the emotional brain produces defensiveness and resistance rather than improvement. We cover the distinction between constructive and destructive feedback and how to structure conversations that protect emotional safety while driving genuine performance improvement.

  6. 6

    Building a High-Performance Team Culture

    The ultimate aim of Leading with Love is a team culture where people feel safe, respected, appreciated and emotionally supported. We cover how to build this culture through consistent leadership behaviour, how to understand your impact on others, and how to use purpose and planning to reduce emotional overwhelm.

Who Is This Course For?

Who Should Attend This Leading with Love Course?

Designed for anyone in a leadership or management role who wants to improve performance by understanding and positively influencing the emotional states of those they lead.

Leaders and Senior Managers

Lead with emotional intelligence and create the conditions for your team to perform at their best, even under pressure.

Middle Managers and Supervisors

Learn to recognise and manage emotional states in your team and build a more positive, productive working environment.

Team Leaders Managing Change

Equip yourself with the tools to support your team through the stress of change and maintain performance during difficult transitions.

Anyone Who Influences Others

Whether you manage a team or work closely with colleagues, understanding the link between emotion and performance will make you a more effective and trusted professional.

Also valuable for HR professionals supporting managers through periods of change, coaches and mentors working with leadership development, and individuals who want to understand the emotional dimension of their own performance.

Course Agenda

Leading with Love Course Details

1

Morning Session • Understanding stress, the brain and emotional performance

Explore how stress physically shuts down the rational mind, discover the three-brain model that explains behaviour under pressure, and learn to recognise the freeze, flight and fight responses that block performance in the workplace.

We open by examining the relationship between stress and performance. Stress is not simply a feeling; it is a physiological response with direct consequences for productivity, decision-making and creativity. Leaders who understand this relationship can create the conditions for better performance rather than inadvertently making things worse when pressure increases.
We introduce the three-brain model: the rational brain, the emotional brain and the instinctive brain. Each controls different aspects of behaviour. Under normal conditions, the rational brain is in charge. Under stress, the emotional and instinctive brains take over and the rational, productive mind shuts down. Understanding this model is the foundation of everything else on this course.
The rational brain is the seat of all productive performance. It handles planning, problem-solving, creative thinking, decision-making and communication. When it is active, people can think clearly and work effectively. We explore what keeps the rational brain engaged and what causes it to shut down, and why it is the primary responsibility of a leader to protect the rational function of their team.
The emotional brain processes feelings and assigns meaning to events. It can either support or block the rational mind. When the emotional brain senses threat, whether physical or social, it overrides rational thinking. We examine how the emotional brain works, what triggers it, and how leaders can use language and behaviour to keep it calm so that the rational brain remains active and productive.
The instinctive brain controls automatic survival responses that bypass rational thought entirely. When the emotional brain signals extreme threat, the instinctive brain produces immediate physical responses. We explore how these ancient survival mechanisms manifest in modern workplace behaviour and why recognising them is essential for leaders who want to manage performance rather than simply react to it.
People operate in one of two broad emotional states: comfortable (feeling safe, respected and appreciated) or uncomfortable (feeling threatened, disrespected or undervalued). Comfortable states support rational thinking and productive performance. Uncomfortable states trigger stress responses and shut down the rational mind. We explore the specific conditions that create each state and how leaders can influence them deliberately.
We examine the direct link between emotional state and output. When people are in a comfortable emotional state, they are more creative, more motivated, better at solving problems and more willing to take initiative. When they are in an uncomfortable state, the opposite is true. Leaders who understand this connection can manage performance by managing emotional environment rather than simply managing tasks and targets.
The freeze response occurs when the emotional brain senses overwhelming threat and the rational mind shuts down, leaving the person unable to act, decide or respond effectively. In the workplace, freeze presents as paralysis, procrastination, indecision or becoming mentally blank. We cover how to recognise freeze in your team and the specific leadership responses that restore rational function without adding further pressure.
The flight response is a withdrawal from the source of threat. In a workplace context, flight presents as disengagement, avoidance of difficult conversations, absenteeism, passivity or simply going through the motions without genuine contribution. We explore how leaders can recognise flight behaviours, understand their underlying emotional cause and re-engage people in a way that addresses the emotional root rather than just the surface symptom.
The fight response is an aggressive or defensive reaction to perceived threat. In the workplace, it presents as confrontational behaviour, argumentativeness, defensiveness, blame or persistent resistance to change. We cover how leaders can recognise fight responses in real time, manage their own emotional reaction, and de-escalate situations using the principles of emotional safety and calm authority.
2

Afternoon Session • Applying emotional intelligence in leadership conversations and culture

Learn practical tools for managing emotional conversations, leading teams through change, giving feedback that builds rather than breaks, and creating a team culture grounded in emotional safety and sound psychological principles.

Most leadership problems occur in conversation. We cover the specific techniques that keep conversations productive even when emotions are running high. This includes how to control your own emotional state before and during a difficult conversation, how to use language that keeps the other person's emotional brain calm, and how to steer a conversation back to rational, productive ground when it begins to spiral.
Change is one of the most reliable triggers of emotional distress in teams. Even positive change creates stress. We examine why change feels threatening, how to communicate change in a way that reduces rather than amplifies emotional distress, and how to use behaviour and language that helps people maintain rational function and confidence during transitions.
Feedback given in the wrong way triggers the emotional brain and produces defensiveness rather than improvement. We explore the distinction between constructive feedback (specific, behaviour-focused, forward-looking) and destructive feedback (vague, person-focused, retrospective), and how to structure conversations that protect emotional safety while driving genuine performance improvement. You will practise frameworks for delivering difficult feedback that is heard rather than resisted.
Leaders often underestimate how much their mood, language and behaviour affect the emotional states of those around them. We examine how the emotional brain responds to leadership cues and why what leaders do and say has a disproportionate emotional impact on their teams. Understanding this impact is the first step towards using it deliberately and positively, rather than inadvertently triggering stress responses in others.
Ambiguity and unclear priorities are significant sources of emotional distress in teams. When people do not know what is expected of them or cannot see how their work connects to a clear purpose, the emotional brain interprets this as threat. We cover how to provide clarity of purpose, set clear priorities and create structured plans that reduce the emotional overwhelm that comes from too many competing demands and insufficient direction.
Emotional safety is the foundation of sustained high performance. A culture of emotional safety is one in which people feel genuinely safe to speak up, take initiative, make mistakes and ask for help without fear of humiliation, punishment or rejection. We cover the specific leadership behaviours that build this culture, the ones that undermine it, and how to assess where your team currently sits on the emotional safety spectrum.
The course closes with a structured personal action planning session. Each delegate identifies the two or three specific changes they will make in their leadership behaviour immediately on returning to work. Plans include what will change, by when, and how success will be measured. The post-course portal and three months of free telephone coaching support implementation and ensure that learning translates into lasting change.

Availability and Pricing

Delivery Options

Choose the delivery format that best fits your schedule and team.

All options deliver the same high-quality content.

Online Live Training

£350 +VAT

per delegate

Interactive live sessions delivered via Teams using our superior green-screen technology.

  • Same content as face-to-face
  • Learn from home or office
  • Delivered via MS Teams
  • Laptop or tablet with webcam
View Online Dates

Bespoke In-House

£2250+VAT

per training day

We come to you. Training delivered at your premises, tailored to your team's specific needs.

  • Your premises or online
  • Tailored to your organisation
  • Dates to suit your schedule
  • We can train in your timezone
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All Our Training Includes

Full 1 day of expert training delivered by an experienced trainer
CPD-endorsed course: 6 CPD training hours (plus 2-3 additional hours via post-course online learning)
Full digital interactive course notes
Official training certificate
Access to free additional training material via our post-course portal
3 months of free telephone coaching while you implement your learning

Questions? Call 020 3856 3037 or 01452 856091

Upcoming Dates

Next Available Course Dates

View All Course Dates

No upcoming dates are currently listed.
Please get in touch to enquire about availability.

Contact Us

Frequently Asked Questions

Course FAQs

You can book directly online via our course dates page, call us on 020 3856 3037, or make an enquiry and we will call you back. We accept payment by BACS, cheque or credit card. Once booked, you will receive a confirmation email with full joining instructions.
Yes. We can deliver this course exclusively for your team at your premises or online, on dates to suit you. Bespoke in-house training is priced per day rather than per delegate, making it cost-effective for groups of four or more. We can also tailor the content to address your organisation's specific challenges.
The main objective is to keep the emotional brain calm so that the rational, productive mind can function at its best. When people feel stressed or threatened, the emotional brain shuts down clear thinking, decision-making and creativity. By learning to manage stress in themselves and others, leaders create the conditions for better performance, higher motivation and more innovation.
The course explores three primary stress responses that occur when the emotional brain senses threat: the freeze response (becoming mentally paralysed and unable to act), the flight response (withdrawing, becoming passive or disengaging) and the fight response (becoming defensive, aggressive or argumentative). Understanding these patterns helps leaders recognise stress in their teams and respond with calm authority rather than reacting emotionally themselves.
Yes, the training is highly interactive. Sessions include group discussions, exercises, case studies and individual action planning. The trainer actively teaches expert content rather than simply facilitating discussion, so delegates leave with structured knowledge they can apply immediately. The style is engaging and practical throughout.
Common signs of stress include difficulty concentrating, feeling overwhelmed, a tendency to react emotionally rather than respond rationally, loss of motivation and difficulty making decisions. Physically, stress may present as tension, fatigue or a feeling of being constantly on edge. On this course, we explore these patterns in depth and give you tools to recognise and address them in yourself and in the people you lead.
The course attracts managers, team leaders and professionals from a wide range of industries who want to improve their leadership by understanding the connection between emotions and performance. Delegates include those managing teams through change, those dealing with difficult interpersonal dynamics, and those who want to create a more positive and productive working environment. The course is equally valuable for experienced leaders and those stepping into a leadership role for the first time.

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On This Page

  1. 1 Course Overview
  2. 2 Key Skills
  3. 3 Who Should Attend
  4. 4 Course Agenda
  5. 5 Delivery Options
  6. 6 Upcoming Dates
  7. 7 FAQs

Book This Course

Online Live Training £350 +VAT
Bespoke In-House £2250 +VAT/day
Book Open Course Enquire About In-House

Questions? Call us on

020 3856 3037
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Customer Reviews

What Delegates Say About This Course

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Read Our Customer Reviews
★★★★★

"I found the course to be packed full of useful, well thought-through, and well-practiced information. I particularly liked the modules on time management and handling difficult conversations. The trainer's methods reinforced his points very successfully. I believe I will retain more from this course than I have from other courses."

Zoë Wilcox.

Stroud District Council

★★★★★

"The course content was really good for the role I do. I have taken a lot away from the last two days. The trainer's presentation was very clear and used good examples, the pace of the course was good and I feel I've gained a lot from it."

Paul Brighton

LDF Operations Ltd

★★★★★

"The the informational booklet really useful when going through the course content. Helps to retain information and is a great reference tool for back in the workplace. The Trainer was really positive, engaging and kept my attention throughout. Would highly recommend again for future courses."

Ange Groom

Cheshire Fire Service

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Ready to Lead with Emotional Intelligence?

Enrol on our next live online session, or speak to us about tailored in-house delivery for your team.

Book Open Course Enquire about In-House

Or speak to a member of our team directly:

020 3856 3037 01452 856091