JOURNAL ARTICLE

When the Best Leadership Skill Is Just Being Present: Eye contact, body language, and inner stillness can be the key to making overwhelmed employees feel supported.

  • Published In: Harvard Business Review Digital Articles, 2025. P. 1 1 of 3

  • Database: Business Source Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Zigarmi, Lisa; Grizont, Stella 3 of 3

Abstract

The article focuses on the concept of attunement as a vital leadership skill that involves being present and emotionally supportive rather than simply providing solutions to overwhelmed employees. It emphasizes that leaders can foster a sense of safety and connection through non-judgmental listening, eye contact, and body language, which can significantly improve employee well-being and productivity. The authors outline the importance of attunement in the context of rising employee stress levels and provide practical steps for leaders to practice this skill effectively. By prioritizing emotional presence, leaders can create a more engaged and resilient workforce. [Extracted from the article]

Additional Information

  • Source:Harvard Business Review Digital Articles. 2025/05, p1
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Religion and Philosophy
  • Publication Date:2025
  • Accession Number:186264636
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright 2025 Harvard Business Publishing. All Rights Reserved. Additional restrictions may apply including the use of this content as assigned course material. Please consult your institution's librarian about any restrictions that might apply under the license with your institution. For more information and teaching resources from Harvard Business Publishing including Harvard Business School Cases, eLearning products, and business simulations please visit hbsp.harvard.edu. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Looking to go deeper into this topic? Look for more articles on EBSCOhost.