Guidelines for coaching leaders to manage their emotional contagion effect on employee engagement

Abstract

Employee engagement is a driver of organisational performance, with leaders’ emotional states considered to have an influence on their employees’ engagement levels. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of the effect of emotional contagion of leaders on employee engagement, toward informing the development of guidelines for coaching leaders to better manage their emotional contagion effect on employee engagement. This study selected a qualitative research approach, utilising semi-structured interviews to explore the perceptions of employees, leaders and coaches in relation to leaders’ emotional contagion and the effect thereof on employee engagement. The coaches were also interviewed for information on their coaching approach in working with leaders’ emotional contagion effect on their employees. Thematic analysis was applied to the interview data to identify the key themes. Key findings of the research included that leaders are perceived to have an emotional contagion effect on employees and their engagement levels. Also, leaders sought coaching based on triggers of their negative emotional contagion effect, and finally that the development of emotional intelligence through coaching was key to helping leaders better manage their emotional contagion effect on employee engagement. A coaching framework and guidelines were developed based on the research findings, which focuses on a coaching approach for helping leaders to understand their triggers, emotional states and behaviours, the impact thereof on their employees’ and their engagement, towards assisting them to better manage their emotional contagion effect on employee engagement. While the development of leaders’ emotional intelligence is addressed in the literature, the key contribution of this study is a recommended leadership coaching framework aimed at leadership coaches for specifically assisting leaders to manage their emotional contagion effect on employee engagement.