Emotional Mastery For CEOs: How To Lead From Above The Line

BusinessEmotional Mastery For CEOs: How To Lead From Above The LineByNancy MacKay,Forbes Books Author.for Forbes BooksAUTHOR POSTExpertise and opinions of authors published by ForbesBooks. Imprint operated under license. | Paid ProgramJun 08, 2026, 09:58am EDTBy learning to master your own emotions first, you help others shift from a negative to a positive emotional state.gettyEmotions are contagious. As a CEO, if you haven’t mastered your own emotions and someone approaches you in a negative state, you can easily get pulled down with them. Emotional mastery for CEOs minimizes the risk of that happening. That’s the basis of the “You Go First” philosophy: by learning to master your own emotions first, you help others shift from a negative to a positive emotional state. This isn’t just about feeling good—it’s about being effective, resourceful, and inspiring, no matter what challenges come your way, so that you can set the tone for everyone around you.The Blind Spot That Prevents CEOs from Achieving Emotional MasteryMany people aren’t even aware when they are in a negative emotional state—whether they are angry, frustrated, annoyed, stressed out, or freaked out. That blind spot is the biggest hurdle to achieving emotional mastery for CEOs.I was once doing an in-person coaching session with a new CEO when his assistant pointed me to the stoplight system she had implemented on her desk, just outside the CEO’s office. Red meant no one, not even his family, could bother him. Yellow, only if absolutely necessary. Green, open to interruptions. This system was designed to keep him from blowing up at people.The stoplight system made the CEO’s attitude clear: people had to revolve around him. When I asked him about it, he said simply, “I’m the CEO, so people need to adjust to my style.” He exhibited a clear lack of self-awareness about his emotional state and its impact on others.After some time working together, he committed to change. He apologized to his assistant and his t...