Emotion Science Simplified: Why Timing Matters in Leadership Emotions

emotions science simplified.

Welcome to Emotions Science Simplified! This month, we’re looking at how the timing of emotional expression from leaders influences team performance.

Research Spotlight: Timing Is Everything: An Imprinting Framework for the Implications of Leader Emotional Expressions for Team Member Social Worth and Performance by Jacob S. Levitt,a,* Constantinos G. V. Coutifaris,b Paul I. Green, Jr.,b Sigal G. Barsadea,†

The big idea:

Early emotional expressions (especially positive ones) shape how respected, safe, and motivated people feel.

Emotional Expression Timing

What if the emotions leaders express early in a team’s journey could shape performance outcomes months down the track? New research suggests that not only do leader emotions influence team members’ motivation and success, but the timing of those emotions plays a crucial role in shaping respect, status, and performance.

A new study by Levitt, Coutifaris, Green, and Barsade (2024) explores how leaders' emotional expressions create long-lasting effects through a psychological process known as imprinting. The research highlights that early emotional signals from leaders can shape how team members feel about their social worth, their status and respect within a team, ultimately affecting their performance.

Key Findings: Why Early Positive Emotions Set the Tone

The study introduces an imprinting framework, which explains how the emotional tone set by leaders at the start of a project or team formation can leave a lasting mark on team members.

Here’s what the research found:

Positive emotional expressions early on matter most – When leaders express enthusiasm, support, and encouragement at the start of a team’s lifecycle, it creates a long-lasting imprint of respect. This makes team members feel valued and motivates them to perform better.
Frequent negativity at the wrong time is harmful – If leaders express negative emotions too frequently at the start, it can create an impression that team members will never be able to win their respect, leading to disengagement.
The right mix of emotions boosts performance – The research suggests that leaders who start with positivity but strategically introduce some negativity at the midpoint (e.g., constructive criticism or urgency) see the highest performance outcomes. This contrast helps team members interpret mid-phase negativity as a challenge to grow rather than a lack of respect.

The Numbers Behind the Insights

The study tested these ideas through two major datasets:

A longitudinal study of 9,968 team members in 234 consulting teams at a professional services firm.
A longitudinal study of 245 NCAA Division 1 athletes across 20 varsity teams, analysing how leadership emotions affected their performance.

The results were clear: early emotional expressions from leaders have a stronger impact on performance than emotions expressed later in a team’s lifecycle.

One standout quote from the paper:

“Positive leader emotional expressions during the early team phase will have more beneficial implications for performance than positive or negative leader emotional expressions during the midpoint phase.”

This suggests that how leaders emotionally engage with their teams in the first few weeks can define the trajectory of performance for months to come.

What This Means for Leaders

This research challenges the idea that leaders must always be consistently positive. Instead, it suggests a strategic emotional approach:

Start with warmth and encouragement – Make sure your team members feel respected and valued from day one.

Be mindful of negativity early on – Too much criticism at the start can demotivate and make team members feel permanently undervalued.
Use mid-phase emotional shifts as motivation – Once a positive foundation is established, introducing constructive negative emotions (like urgency or frustration) can push team members to achieve even more.

Final Thought: Emotions as Leadership Strategy

Leadership isn’t just about making decisions, it’s about emotionally establishing the environment in which people work. This study shows that leaders who understand when and how to express their emotions can significantly enhance team performance and social worth.

Want to dig deeper? Download the full research paper below…

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