What Emotionally Connected Leaders Do When Stakeholder Emotions Run High

A new study from Nigeria’s Benson Idahosa University shows that leaders who stay emotionally connected during crises build trust, ease anxiety, and help people move forward together.

The Big Idea: Emotion is Contagious

Emotions ripple through organisations. Leaders don’t just manage plans, they shape the emotional climate. Calm, care, and confidence spread just as easily as fear, frustration, or doubt.

“Leaders who stay emotionally connected are better equipped to manage their own feelings and influence the emotional tone of their teams and stakeholders.” — Achilike & Nwaoboli, 2024 

5 Key Emotional Insights for Connected Leadership

1. Stakeholders feel deeply during crises, and those emotions shape outcomes

In a crisis, people feel first and think second. Stakeholders often experience fear, uncertainty, or frustration. If these feelings are ignored, trust can break down. If they’re acknowledged, trust deepens.

“Unresolved emotions can lead to conflicts, complicating the organisation’s response to the crisis.” — Ayoko et al., 2017 

2. Emotionally connected leaders protect trust, loyalty, and reputation

People remember how leaders made them feel in a crisis. Connected leaders preserve trust. Even when delivering difficult news. They make it clear: “We see you. We’re with you.”

“Stakeholders’ emotional responses can significantly impact the effectiveness of crisis management efforts.” — Achilike & Nwaoboli, 2024 

This isn’t soft. It’s strategic. It’s reputation management from the inside out.

3. Connection means recognising, regulating, and responding with empathy

Great leaders notice how people are feeling and respond with care, not defensiveness. This emotional presence helps keep people grounded, even when circumstances aren’t.

“Connected leaders create a calm atmosphere, foster trust and cooperation, and mitigate negative impacts.” — Achilike & Nwaoboli, 2024 

4. Emotions are contagious. Leaders set the tone

It’s not just what leaders say. It’s how they show up. Their presence, body language, tone, and energy shape the entire emotional atmosphere. People catch emotions like they catch yawns.

“Leaders can use positive nonverbal cues to build trust.” — Guy et al., 2013 

5. Real connection happens through emotionally honest communication

Words matter. But tone and empathy matter more. When leaders communicate with warmth, vulnerability, and care, people feel seen, not managed.

“Emotionally intelligent communication transparent, timely, and empathetic—helps reduce stakeholder anxiety and increase trust.” — Achilike & Nwaoboli, 2024 

What Organisations Can Do

• Grow emotionally connected leaders, not just competent ones 

• Put emotion on the stakeholder management training checklist 

• Train for emotional connection, affect labelling, presence, empathy, and deep listening 

• Acknowledge stakeholder feelings early and often

Final Word

Crisis is emotional. Leaders who stay connected don’t deny that. They work with it. They become steady anchors, trusted guides, and emotional role models.

“By staying emotionally connected, leaders create psychological safety and trust.” — Chatzipanagiotou & Katsarou, 2023 

Read the full research paper
Click here to go to the full research paper

Curious to see the science behind emotionally connected leadership during a crisis? This paper unpacks the role of emotion in crisis leadership and offers a research-backed case for why stakeholder emotions matter more than ever.

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Want to go deeper into stakeholder emotions? 

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