RopesTalk Culture & Compliance Chronicles: Emotionally Charged Leadership with Dina Denham Smith
May 14, 2025
Dina Denham Smith, an accomplished leader and executive coach, shares her insights on emotional leadership. She discusses the demands of leading in today's emotionally charged environment, highlighting the concept of emotional contagion and its effects on teams. Dina emphasizes the importance of compassionate detachment, balancing empathy with objective decision-making. She encourages leaders to share personal mental health stories to foster connection and psychological safety, while also addressing the need for self-care in maintaining effective leadership.
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Dina's Unique Early and Personal Life
- Dina Denham Smith grew up on an all boys boarding school campus, which made her comfortable in male-dominated environments.
- Outside work, she co-founded a 25-year-old dinner club and passionately competes in dressage equestrian events.
Leadership's Unseen Emotional Load
- Leaders face heightened emotional demands today, especially post-pandemic.
- Their emotional challenges often go unacknowledged and unaddressed, causing a critical leadership resource gap.
Emotions Matter in Leadership
- Emotions at work are commonly misunderstood despite evidence of their importance.
- Leaders must manage their own emotions effectively to handle complex, charged work environments and difficult situations.