How Public Service Leaders Can Maintain Focus in What Feels Like Chaos

As someone who spent over two decades as an executive leader for the Mayor and City Council President of a large metropolitan city, I learned a critical truth about leadership: Experience and expertise alone won’t make you an effective leader. They may open the door to opportunity, but don’t guarantee you’ll thrive once you’re there. True leadership isn’t just about what you do, it’s about who you are while doing it, an awareness and presence that can be cultivated through emotional intelligence (EQ).

EQ is your ability to recognize, understand and manage how you think, feel and act, both internally and in how you relate to others. It rests on four pillars:

1. Self-Awareness — Recognizing your emotions, triggers, and their impact.
2. Self-Management — Maintaining composure under pressure.
3. Social Awareness — Understanding others’ emotions and social cues.
4. Relationship Management — Building trust, communicating clearly, and managing conflict effectively.

Part of understanding who you are as a leader is recognizing your triggers — those automatic reactions that can create stress, strain relationships and stall progress, especially in chaotic situations. By pausing, naming what’s happening and resetting, you regain control of your energy and your outcomes.

Try this exercise: “When [blank] happens, I feel [blank] and usually [blank]. Instead, I’ll choose to [blank].”

For example, “When I receive unexpected criticism, I feel defensive and usually argue. Instead, I’ll pause, breathe, and ask clarifying questions.”

Each time you catch a trigger before it takes control, you strengthen your emotional agility — a hallmark of strong, centered leadership. This week, pay attention to what stirs your emotions, practice pausing before responding, and choose your next step with intention. That’s how emotionally intelligent leaders show up, even when chaos calls.

Carolyn Mozell is passionate about leadership and its transformative impact on individuals, teams, and organizations. As the Founder of Leaders Who Connect and Inspire LLC, she empowers nonprofit and government leaders to break down silos, unify teams, and achieve shared goals through impactful training programs and immersive retreats that enhance communication and emotional intelligence skills.

Carolyn has served in some of the highest levels of local government leadership across both the legislative and executive branches, as well as in roles as a nonprofit COO and entrepreneur, making her uniquely qualified to support leaders and teams at all levels, in navigating challenges with clarity, cohesion, and a strong sense of purpose.

Carolyn holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland and is a certified DISC and Emotional Intelligence Practitioner. Outside of work, she enjoys crafting, being a wife and proud pet mom to her adopted cat, Eva.

Photo by Jenna Hamra at Pexels.com